SATURDAY MORNING MASS HOMILY – FATHER MIGUEL

"We all have to experience many hardships before we enter the Kingdom of God." The Lord speaks to us in our retreat time. We have to give the Lord time to speak. We should not just pray on and on and tell Him all kinds of things.

Today is the Feast Day of St. Agatha.  Pray to her for purity.

SATURDAY MORNING INSTRUCTION – FATHER MARK

    Father spoke about the document on the Eucharist. "The Church draws Her life from the Eucharist."  Father covered the Introduction and part of Chapter I.

The Eucharist is essential. We have taken our eyes off of the Eucharist. We have lost focus on the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is so vital to our faith. A life here and now, abiding now, and the future resurrection in eternal life.

The Eucharist is at the heart of the mystery of the Church. The promise of Our Lord – "Lo, I am with you always to the end of the age." The Eucharist is the fulfillment of Our Lord's promise. The source and summit of the Christian life is the Eucharist. Christ is giving Himself entirely to us. We will receive grace and have a deeper incorporation in the Eucharist. All sacraments point towards the Eucharist. We have to be reminded, and the more we know about the Eucharist, the more it helps us in our devotion.

The Eucharist is a sacrament of presence, and it is also a sacrifice sacrament. We can trace the priesthood all the way back to the Upper Room. There is a real, physical link to the Upper Room. It is important to meditate on these things. We can share in the very divine nature of Christ. Every day we have that access.

In Jesus Christ you will find the meaning of everything that was meant to be. He is coming  again in the second coming when the world will be cleansed of sin. It will be like a purifying fire and cleansed and offered back to the Father. He does so through the priestly ministry of the Church. By Baptism we are priestly people. A spiritual sacrifice in the works that we do. When the priest lifts up the paten with the Eucharist on it, jump on it. We have a real garden to cultivate. We bring everything to Mass with us. What am I bringing to Mass? What am I opening up at Mass? We have this beautiful banquet because of the sacrifice.

HEALING SERVICE – FATHER MIGUEL

In the Old Testament, people implored healing from God. Faithfulness to God's law restores health. It has redemption meaning. Jesus is veiled in the Old Testament – fulfilled in the New Testament. We have to take both truths that Christ revealed to us. It is very easy for Our Lord to heal illness: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional. Sometimes there are obstacles to the healing process. Faith heals. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. In illness we experience our own weaknesses.  What illness can do for us:
  
1) makes us think about death,
2) leads us to anguish, even anger against God,
3) makes us more mature, and
4) provokes a search for God and a return to our Lord.

Our Lord is very compassionate towards the sick. Who are we to have been chosen and invited to come into His presence? We are filled with imperfections. Our Lord is not limited in His power. He can work His healing miracle miles away from here. Recommend your intentions for healing of others as well. Tell Him whatever healings you are looking for. Ask Our Lord to heal them and those who have gone away from the Church. The healing may not be instant, but persevere in asking Our Lord. Ask Our Lady to intercede for these healings.

This is Our Lord who will be blessing you. Father said he was only the Lord's instrument. The Lord can work miracles in your life. He has the power not only to heal the body but the soul as well. He draws Christians who suffer body and soul.