From the Desk of Father Nathan

My dearest people, closest to my heart!

As a second and third grader, I would sometimes go to church at 3:00 a.m. and sleep on the church steps until it was time to open the doors. That was simply part of my routine. I wanted to be an altar server. I wanted to pray the Morning Prayer at 5:00 a.m. over the loudspeakers to wake up the whole village, and I loved praying the Night Prayer at 9:00 p.m. so everyone could hear it.

When I entered boarding school, I was taught the wisdom of St. Don Bosco:

“There are two things the devil is deadly afraid of: fervent Communions and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.”

I believe the Salesians of Don Bosco deepened my love for the Eucharist. The priests would often tell the boarders:

“The church is located at the center of the school and boarding. Whenever you pass through the church, just stop and say ‘Hi’ to your Friend who is waiting there to see you. He loves to see you.”

Those simple words had a profound impact on all of us, even on many students who were not Catholic. Whenever we entered the church, we behaved reverently. We remained silent, and there was always a beautiful atmosphere for prayer.

The Source and Summit of Our Faith

Lumen Gentium (11) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1324) teach:

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself, our Pasch.”

St. Francis de Sales beautifully reminds us:

“We must visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament a hundred thousand times a day.”

The Blessing of Eucharistic Adoration

Adoration brings blessings that extend far beyond the individual. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said:

“We must not separate our life from the Eucharist. The moment we do so, something shatters.”

Likewise, St. John Paul II wrote:

“The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet Him in adoration.”

For me, the Eucharist is the medicine for every sickness of mind, body, and soul. The time we spend before Our Eucharistic Lord is never wasted; rather, it is time that saves our souls.

I encourage you to visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament as often as you can—at least once each day. Spend as much time with Him as possible. Whenever you are able, spend an hour in His presence.

Be Proud of Your Catholic Faith

As Catholics, we should never be ashamed to be Catholic. Let the world know how much we love Jesus Christ and how deeply we love, adore, and defend the Holy Eucharist.

I encourage you to sign up for Eucharistic Adoration in our parish, especially during our First Friday Devotions. Even more importantly, make visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament a part of your everyday life.

It should become part and parcel of who we are.

Words from the Saints

“The Holy Eucharist is the perfect expression of the love of Jesus Christ for mankind.” — St. Maria Goretti

“In an ever-changing world, the Holy Eucharist is a constant reminder of the great reality of God’s changeless love.” — St. Teresa of Ávila

“The Eucharist is the supreme proof of the love of Jesus. After this, there is nothing more but Heaven itself.” — St. Peter Julian Eymard

“The Eucharist is the secret of my day. It gives strength and meaning to all my activities of service to the Church and to the whole world.” — Pope St. John Paul II

A Final Invitation

Let us make it part of the routine of our lives to visit the Blessed Sacrament. May the Church—and our lives—always revolve around that love.

Let us visit Jesus together as families and friends. May our lives find their true meaning in Him, through Him, and with Him.