By Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. The present title of our meditation can be shortened and simplified. It should read, “Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and the Catholic Prolife Movement.” We have already spoken at length and in detail about the Holy Eucharist. Our focus has been to bring out the role of the Holy […]
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By Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Christianity is unique among the religions of the world in giving a rational and adequate explanation of suffering. In fact, it goes beyond giving a strong motive for suffering, this motive being the fact that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who love Christ are […]
By Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. The popular understanding of prayer as asking for God’s help is correct. Most of the prayers in the Scriptures are petitions. Most of the prayers of the liturgy are the same. Even the acts of adoration or love are always implicit petitions. Why is this so? Why do we […]
By Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. I know that numerous popular devotions held in church before the Blessed Sacrament have been swept away as by a tornado. I know that in the laudable effort to highlight the Eucharistic Liturgy and therefore emphasize the altar, the tabernacle has been almost put out of sight, hidden away, […]
by Fr. John Hardon, S.J. There is generally no difficulty speaking about the Holy Eucharist as sacrament. In fact, this is the way most Catholics think of the Holy Eucharist. However, our perspective will be more specific. We will reflect on the meaning of the Holy Eucharist as a channel of grace and how Holy […]
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. The Real Presence The Eucharist as the Real Presence is the touchstone of sanctity. As evidence of this fact we have the witness of the saints who, when they speak or write about the power of the Blessed Sacrament to sanctify, seem to be positively extreme in their claims […]
By Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. It is always risky to use superlatives. And most risky when, as here, the superlative applies to the whole world. What are we saying when we say that the greatest need in the world today is to form the Eucharistic faith and love of children. What do we mean? We mean […]
By Father John. A Hardon, S.J. INTRODUCTION The phenomenal growth of devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist has puzzled not a few sincere people. Nocturnal Adoration societies, Perpetual Adoration groups, national associations of the faithful promoting organized visits to the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Hours before the tabernacle, monthly, weekly and […]
By Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. The center of a spiritual life is a deep faith in the Eucharist as Sacrifice of the Mass, Holy Communion, and Real Presence. At the center of this faith is the realization that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became the Son of Mary to be with us, on […]