Tuesday morning (August 24), as every morning I was spending time in silent meditation in the presence of the exposed BLESSED SACRAMENT in our little chapel at the rectory. This is the best moment of my day. A time for silent ADORATION. A time for silent REFLECTION in the presence of the Lord. I was meditating on the Gospel of the day, Feast of St BARTHOLOMEW APOSTLE: JOHN 1:45-51. Three simple WORDS touched me: "COME AND SEE". These are the words Philip told Nathanael, who is identified later as Bartholomew. Philip was filled with the JOY of having encountered Jesus who had asked him: FOLLOW ME! He wanted to share that JOY with his friend Bartholomew: He had just encountered the Messiah. This is what EVANGELIZATION is all about: to be a living WITNESS OF OUR FAITH IN CHRIST, to share the JOY OF OUR FAITH with others and invite them to encounter Christ: COME AND SEE! COME AND SEE JESUS! COME TO MASS!

I was looking at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I was repeating again and again in my heart: COME AND SEE! COME AND SEE! I was SEEING JESUS, right in front of me in the Blessed Sacrament. Then three other simple words came to me: "TASTE AND SEE". TASTE AND SEE: These were the words of Psalm 34 (34: 9a), which we had sung together last Sunday: TASTE AND SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD! Words very fitting for the Gospel of the day  (John 6:60-69): the amazing end of Jesus' "BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE", the SHOCKING TRUTH that Jesus will give us HIS FLESH TO EAT! A Truth so shocking that many disciples of Jesus then chose to leave him...EVANGELIZATION is also passing on to our children and youth our FAITH IN THE REAL PRESENCE OF JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST. When we truly believe in the Eucharist, we have this great desire to COME AND SEE JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, TO ADORE HIM, and to TASTE AND SEE HIM AS WE RECEIVE HIM IN THE HOLY COMMUNION: BODY, BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY (all contained in a single consecrated host). As we receive Jesus, we become totally United with HIM. Our souls can be FED SPIRITUALLY. Our souls can have a foretaste of HEAVEN: HEAVEN ON EARTH, being with Jesus right here right now.

Later on the same morning, I was continuing my reading of "In Sinu Jesu”, an inspirational book written by a Benedict monk, as a "Journal of a Priest at Prayer" in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. In 2007, Our Lord and Our Lady began to speak to the heart of this monk in the Silence of Adoration. I was now reading his journal entry of March 30, 2008, Sunday of Divine Mercy: words he heard from Jesus: “I will not leave you friendless; I am coming to you. It is only a little while now before the WORLD is to SEE ME NO MORE, but YOU CAN SEE ME because I LIVE ON, and you too will have life. When that day comes, you will learn for yourselves that I AM IN MY FATHER, and YOU ARE IN ME, and I AM IN YOU" (John 14:18-21)...YES, here I WAS SPEAKING OF THE EUCHARIST, the GIFT of my abiding PRESENCE to My Bride, the Church, and this until the end of time. Not One soul who belongs to Me is left friendless in this world so long as the Church continues to do what I commanded on the night before I suffered, in memory of Me. The Most Holy Eucharist is not only My Sacrifice offered to the Father, although in a bloodless manner; it is not only the sustenance of souls, nourishing them with My very Body and Blood; it is also the Sacrament of My divine Friendship, the pledge of My burning desire to remain close to all who seek Me, to all who need Me, to all who would spend time in My company.”

WOW!! This was more than a coincidence...It was God's incidence.... a loud and clear message to me about the EUCHARIST at a time when our parish is embarking on a EUCHARISTIC RENEWAL! I invite all of you to reflect on the above powerful words of Jesus as spoken to a Benedictine monk 13 years ago... and apply them to your own relationship with Jesus as you come to encounter Him at Mass.

Heavenly Father, help our parish's Eucharistic Renewal. Send Your Holy Spirit upon each one of us so we can appreciate the richness and fullness of the Paschal Mystery at Mass, especially the greatest miracle on earth : The Son of God, Jesus Christ, humbling Himself to be fully Present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the offered Bread and Wine at Consecration at every Mass every day! And may the Love of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, help us receive in the Most Holy Communion all the Graces You deem sufficient for doing Your Will!

One in Christ,


Fr. Alain