The Transfiguration is my favorite feast day because it emphasizes the Lord’s divinity and gives us a taste of Heaven. Life on Earth can get discouraging at times and the journey to Heaven is long and arduous, but on this feast day, we are reminded that the Lord calls us to live in hope because one day, it will be Him that we will see face to face. We can never fully avoid the Cross in our human lives, but the Transfiguration reminds us that God’s glory is bigger than any of our fears, problems, and disappointments. Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of Jesus’ heavenly glory and we can share in this moment by praying with the Scripture (see Mark 9:2–13; Matthew 17:1–13; Luke 9:28–36) and by visiting the Lord in His Real Presence in the Eucharist in Adoration. When we take the time to gaze at the Eucharist and allow ourselves to be seen by our Creator, we can absorb some of His radiance and reflect it into the parts of our lives that need His goodness.  Here are seven ways to celebrate this remarkable feast day: Wear White // Even though this is a simple action and only involves wearing the same color as the priests, never underestimate the small power that dressing according to liturgical colors has on your experience that day. There’s something about being in union with the priest during Mass, even if it is something as small as the color they are wearing. It helps us unite our own offerings at Mass to those that the priest is offering in the Person of Christ. And on this day, the liturgical colors actually match those of Christ in the Scripture: “And his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them” (Mark 9:3). Wearing white will help get you into the spirit of today’s feast day. Pray the Litany of Transfiguration // You’ve probably heard of the Litany of Humility and the Litany of Trust, but one of the best hidden gems is the Litany of Transfiguration. You can pray it at any life stage and what I love about this prayer is that it lists out each of the struggles that humans face, and after that we pray, “Let me see only Jesus.” There is a lot of noise in this world and especially in times of trial, it can be tempting to carry our crosses with ungodly self-reliance, but this prayer reminds us to fix our gaze on one Being: Jesus. Eat Grapes // It’s a feast day so that means food! After doing some research, I found that blessing grapes and other fruits is a common tradition that churches partake in as a form of thanksgiving. If you want to take it a step further, go all out with a charcuterie board and a bottle of fermented grapes (wine). Just make sure you don’t forget those grapes! Pray the Luminous Mysteries // We are invited to pray the mysteries of the Rosary, meditatively, on all days of the year, but give a little bit more attention to the fourth decade of the Luminous Mysteries today—the Transfiguration—whether that’s offering specific intentions for each bead or whatever else your heart calls you to do! (See here for How to Pray the Rosary.) {formbuilder:OTk4ODY=} Listen to “I Don’t Wanna Go” By Chris Renzema // If you have not heard this song already, you should give it a listen, especially today. Specifically focus on the lyrics that sing about the Transfiguration from the perspective of Peter. One thing I love about praying with Scripture is that I can see myself in the shoes (or in this case, the feet) of the disciples. This song highlights Peter’s awe, but at the same time it demonstrates his inability to fully grasp what the Lord is trying to tell him. Haven’t we all been there? Spend some time in nature // Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain and that was when He intimately revealed His face to them. Christ is found everywhere, but He is especially present in the natural beauty of this earth. Go on a hike by yourself or with some friends and remind yourself that one day, it will be you that God is revealing His full face to after the long and arduous spiritual hike known as our earthly life. Pray With The Transfiguration Moments In Your Life // For those who do not know what a Transfiguration moment is, it is a moment in which Christ’s glory is revealed to you in a big way. For example, when I woke up from my four-hour surgery/amputation, I felt a lightness that I was not expecting to feel—lightness that I knew came from Jesus Christ—and, in my groggy state, I saw white. Christ’s glory and His love for me was fully revealed on that day of November 8, 2013, after I had my amputation. No matter how much I try to simplify or explain that moment, it does not compare to what occurred between me and God on that day. When life gets discouraging, I go back to this Transfiguration moment and remind myself that if God’s power can overcome the heartbreak of losing a leg, with Him by my side, I can overcome anything.

Jesus, my heart is consumed and infatuated with the prospect of loving You. I desire to be worthy of Your love but know that my worth is not set in my daily deeds, duties, obligations, and successes. Remind me that my inherent value is found in the dignity of who I am as a human person and in Your ceaseless, ever-present love for me. Keep my heart fixated on Your intentions for me and away from the rotten vices of pride and perfectionism in my daily life. Let the fruits of my flawed humanity exude Your goodness in all I do as I submit to the movements of grace. Let me aspire to love You with all my heart but not fall into despair when I cannot fulfill my lofty expectations. Amen. Author Bio: Kateri Estano is a recent graduate of Salem State University with a B.A. in English and a concentration in Professional Writing, living in Peabody, Massachusetts. Besides spending time with and preparing to marry her fiancé in July 2023, she enjoys knitting, baking, hanging out with friends, traveling, and adoration. An avid writer since high school, she has recently felt called to share her poetry and writing beyond her computer files. She enjoys composing pieces about God's love for His creation and her relationship with Him. She hopes that her writing will help spread the message of God's intrinsic love to other women. You can find her on Instagram @katericampbel

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The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my friend, my beautiful one, and come! // Song of Songs 2:12-13 As I step outside into my backyard, the early morning sun is just rising. In the quiet stillness of nature’s beauty, the Lord’s presence is palpable. God’s artistry surrounds me as I observe the brightness of the sun, the coolness of the dewy grass, and the lush green of the trees. As I settle into my lawn chair, I smile as I soak in this summer oasis. And it is then that the Lord greets me: Arise, my friend, my beautiful one, and come!  Encountering God in Creation, in Scripture During this season, I often take my prayer time outdoors. For summer is rife with opportunity to encounter God in His beautiful creation—whether sitting in the backyard, hiking in a park, or wading in shallow ocean water along a beachy shore. Encountering God in creation invites me to meditate more deeply on His glory, goodness, and genuine love for me. And I cannot help but wonder: Lord, if your beautiful creation is this glorious, how much more glorious are You? If your ocean is this magnificent, how much more magnificent are You? If Your sun shines this radiantly, how much more radiant are You? Because all of the natural beauty that surrounds us—the sea, mountains, desert, waterfalls, wildflowers, and more—was created to point our attention back to the Creator. So that we fall in love with Him more deeply. So that our desire to know Him increases exponentially. And so that we grow more grateful for His lavish generosity, of which His flourishing creation is but a sampling. Saint Peter Chrysologus said it best in his homily, Son of God, Son of a Carpenter: Christ was the Son of a craftsman, but of The One Who formed the structure of the universe, not with a hammer, but with His command [ . . . ] Who set the sun ablaze, not with an earthly fire, but with heat from Heaven; who adjusted the moon, the darkness, and the periods of night; Who made the stars distinct with varying degrees of light; Who made all from nothing; and He made it, O man, for you, so that by pondering the work you would think of the One who made it. Inevitably, during my outdoor prayer time, the Lord leads me to His Word and the many passages that describe creation as a reflection of the very splendor of God. And so, as we enter this last month of summer, here are some Bible verses for prayer and meditation. Through His Word, let us ponder the gift of summer and how our natural surroundings within God’s creation invite us to contemplate the lavish generosity of our  Creator and all that He has in store for those who love Him (see 1 Corinthians 2:8-10). HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY Bible Verses to Pray in the Summer Summery Season // All the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. // Genesis 8:22 The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord. By the Lord’s word the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathered the waters of the sea as a mound; he sets the deep into storage vaults. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all who dwell in the world show him reverence. // Psalm 33:5-8 Yours the day and yours the night too; you set the moon and sun in place. You fixed all the limits of the earth; summer and winter you made. // Psalm 74:16-17 Wavy Water // More powerful than the roar of many waters, more powerful than the breakers of the sea, powerful in the heavens is the Lord. // Psalm 93:4 Should you not fear me—oracle of the Lord—should you not tremble before me? I made the sandy shore the sea’s limit, which by eternal decree it may not overstep. Toss though it may, it is to no avail; though its billows roar, they cannot overstep. // Jeremiah 5:22 The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” // Matthew 8:27 Shining Sun // From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the Lord be praised. // Psalm 113:3 Arise! Shine, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you. // Isaiah 60:1 Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun to light the day, moon and stars to light the night; Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar, whose name is Lord of hosts. // Jeremiah 31:35 “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” // Matthew 13:43 Flourishing Flowers // Blessed are those who trust in the Lord; the Lord will be their trust. They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It does not fear heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit. // Jeremiah 17:7-8 “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” // Matthew 13:31-32 “Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, know that he is near, at the gates.” // Matthew 24:32-33 Do you have a favorite Bible verse that encourages you to savor the summer season? WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY

I read the following from The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis when I was seven years old, and my heart was lit up with a deep longing for joy in friendship:   “… they walked with a swing and let their arms and shoulders go free, and chatted and laughed. One was whistling. You could see that they were ready to be friends with anyone who was friendly, and didn’t give a fig for anyone who wasn’t. Shasta thought he had never seen anything so lovely in his life.” From this moment, Shasta, a young boy alone in a place he knows is not his real home, becomes so enchanted by the Narnians that the courage to seek another life awakens in him.  Genuine, freely given, joyful, challenging, and inspiring friendship is among the beautiful things we have been blessed with on this earth, and this kind of friendship has a unique loveliness that can transform us and help lead us toward heaven. International Day of Friendship is celebrated on July 30th, so here are a few stories of friends to honor some of the wonderful manifestations of friendship.  Friends For Life It’s great to make friends at any stage of life, but there is an irreplaceable sweetness in friendships that go back to our origins—through all the layers of memories, milestones, life changes, hopes, and dreams. These friends know us so well that they can reflect us like a mirror: a mirror that sometimes reveals things that are so close to us that they are only made visible because of our friends. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and her sisters were both family and religious community, but also literally lifelong friends. If it weren’t for the sisters of Saint Thérèse, it’s doubtful we would have The Story of a Soul with all the tiny details of memories, the kind sparked between people who have shared circumstances and witnessed the same things from their unique angles.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Friends In Times of Need Friends who are there for us when clouds gather and the storm breaks overhead are a precious consolation and gift.  An iconic tableau of this type of friendship is shown at the foot of the Cross. Three women who showed extraordinary love to each other in a time of need were certainly the “Three Marys”—Our Lady, Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Clopas, who literally stood by each other at the Crucifixion. Along with Saint John the Beloved, they supported each other through a nightmare that sent everyone else running in fear. Perhaps it is this exact moment that came to mind for Saint John when he wrote: “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Their love for Jesus is incredible—but so is their loyalty to the mother of Jesus, expressed in their determination not to abandon her nor her Son. Friendship is tried in a fire as intense as sorrow, and suffering demonstrates how strong such relationships can be.  Unlikely and Transformative Friendships One of the most astonishing things that friendship can do is provide a direct bridge from heart to heart, giving safe passage over turbulent waters that other relationships find impossible to cross. A beautiful instance of this is shared by a school feeding charity called Mary’s Meals, of two young girls, Teresa and Tabitha:  Teresa and Tabitha shouldn’t even be friends, let alone ambassadors for peace. And yet the friendship built over a Mary’s Meals lunch has become a beacon of hope for a better tomorrow for the children of South Sudan, whose childhoods and futures have been marred by decades of war. The girls’ families are from opposing clans in different states, pitted against one another in a bitter battle for supremacy, all the while fighting to keep their families safe. These girls were destined to spend their lives not knowing the joy they could bring one another. Last year, that trajectory changed for Teresa and Tabitha thanks to one powerful act of fate and many more simple acts of kindness. In a world where differences and politics can often tear people apart, friendships like this are pure gold.  Friends of the Soul These friends call us on, causing charisms and interests to harmonize, and making us more like sisters and brothers. A classic example of this is two friends who were so interlinked in the pursuits of the soul that they now share the same feast day: Saint Gregory Nazianzen and Saint Basil the Great. Saint Gregory speaks movingly of his friend: Our single object and ambition was virtue, and a life of hope in the blessings that are to come; we wanted to withdraw from this world before we departed from it. With this end in view we ordered our lives and all our actions. We followed the guidance of God’s law and spurred each other on to virtue.  If it is not too boastful to say, we found in each other a standard and rule for discerning right from wrong. Different men have different names, which they owe to their parents or to themselves, that is, to their own pursuits and achievements. But our great pursuit, the great name we wanted, was to be Christians, to be called Christians.  The beauty in friendships like this is awe-inspiring, and the lives of the saints are replete with friendships of this caliber. It’s one of the things that excites me about the universal call to holiness: we are made for great things, including great friendships! The Final End of Friendship One of the most captivating ways that I have heard Jesus described is “the Great Gatherer of Friends.” It makes perfect sense, as Jesus is the origin of all that is true, good, and beautiful—including friendship.  I find as I write this that I can’t really honor my own dear friends in the way I long to. So often they have given me a glimpse of eternal joy and encouraged me to keep questing for my true goals— but as life goes on, often we find ourselves at a crossroads, led to travel different terrains. Sometimes it’s clear that this is also part of “taking up your cross” to follow Jesus: allowing our calling and responsibilities in life to guide our immediate focus. My deepest hope is that the Great Gatherer of Friends will bring us together again—not just on this earth, but taking us across the final border into our real Home with Him. I thank God wholeheartedly for His creation of friendship. Bio: Maria Khell is a wife, mother, and writer, who delights in combining her deep love of writing, her faith, and a passion for international development. With two sets of relatives situated in Nazareth and Scotland, she lives with her husband and family somewhere between the two, in Belgium. She finds this very convenient for supplies of excellent olives, shortbread, and chocolate.

Seeing Jesus in the monstrance being carried by a priest up and down countless rows during the Eucharistic Procession at the Steubenville West Conference was something that I wasn’t prepared for. It hit differently than sitting in the twenty-five-person-capacity chapel that I was used to back home.  I had often spent time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, but this was my first time having Jesus come to me.  Each time the priest took Jesus to a different section you could sense the room change. Shoulders would relax, barriers were lowered, tears were wiped, noses sniffled, and it was very clear that Jesus was there.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Whatever we were doing leading up to Eucharistic Adoration was a faint memory as we encountered Jesus and allowed Him to look at us as we looked back at Him. As Venerable Fulton Sheen says, “We become like that which we gaze upon. Looking into the sunset, the face takes on a golden glow. Looking at the Eucharistic Lord for an Hour transforms the heart in a mysterious way." What I have learned since that moment in that huge auditorium is that, no matter my surroundings or the amount of noise I may be drowning in, whenever I spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, He pierces through all of it and offers me His peace. In the silence that tiny host removes all the worldly gunk that I carry around. There is no greater refuge, security, or comfort than when I spend time with Jesus. When I have no agenda, prayer books, journal, or feel like I have to get something out of my time with Jesus, I receive a freedom that makes me feel new.   It's hard for my human mind to comprehend that Jesus makes Himself available to us through Eucharistic Adoration, but He loves us that much.  Sister, maybe you haven’t made Eucharistic Adoration part of your prayer life, or maybe you're scared of allowing Jesus to look at you because of past sin or the weight that you’re carrying right now. Whatever it is, He is patiently waiting for you. There is only one you and He longs to be in relationship with you. Will you allow Him to look at you? You can lower your guard and know that the Shepherd will care for you.  Maybe if you’re apprehensive you can ask a friend or family member to go with you. If you’re having a hard time feeling like Jesus is really present, try praying, Jesus, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) 

I had never seen an auditorium packed with thousands of Catholic youth like I did that summer. I can still see the sea of young people worshiping, praying, and praising. I had signed up to be a chaperone for my first Catholic youth conference with our parish and it burst my cradle-Catholic bubble. At twenty-four, I thought I knew everything the Church had to offer but had never experienced anything quite like the Steubenville West Conference.  Even as an extrovert it made me uncomfortable, because the Catholic Church I knew was genuflecting, staying in your pew, and participating at appropriate times—anything outside of that was irreverent. But when the band began to lead praise and worship, I felt as if I had unearthed a precious gem. I had never heard music like that before. Everywhere I looked, arms stretched out wide and waved freely in the air; this was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. Was this really the Catholic Church? The same one I had grown up with? It was all new to me and completely outside of my comfort zone, but somehow in that discomfort I felt like I was rediscovering the Church in a new way.   “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” (John 14:2). There is room for you! You belong here.  When the next singer and speaker took the stage and led everyone through prayer with his guitar, the ginormous auditorium suddenly felt like an intimate campfire session. You could hear the crowd sing along softly and even with all the various vocal ranges and tones, it all sounded like one harmonious symphony.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} In this space, I slowly felt my apprehensions and doubt dissipate.  I began to see how Jesus isn’t limited to the structure of Mass, the silence of Eucharistic Adoration, or the instruction I received from my catechism teachers.  I found Jesus among thousands of young people and it felt like the beginning of something new.  A part of me felt both joy and disappointment: joy for being in this space that helped bring the Church to life, and disappointment because it took so long for me to experience this. I was tempted to feel “too old” for this to be my first time, as most of the attendees were going as teenagers, and a majority of chaperones had gone before as well. Nonetheless I was there, and I knew there was something for me, too—even if I felt like my season for this type of thing had passed.  Is there a time when you felt like the Church came alive to you in a new way and reinforced that you belong?  Jesus, thank You for the ways You open new doors to encounter You in the Church. Today we ask You to give us the confidence and the grace to know we belong. Amen.

I remember being in undergrad when my roommate and I were talking about just how busy our schedules were and how stressful our study load felt. It was then that she quoted a line from Saint Francis de Sales, who said, “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour.” It reminded me of something my mom and dad would pray over me. That God would “multiply my hours.” The first time they said it, I thought it sounded a little funny. God multiplying my hours? Like, would He really be able to make one hour of my time seem infused with two? And was that okay to pray for? Maybe I just needed to be more productive with my time rather than praying for a miraculous amount of “more” of it. But I let their prayer wash over me, and I saw the fruit of it. When I prayed for God to “multiply” my time, I frequently found myself getting way more done than I had expected. Which brings me back to Francis de Sales. There are so many times when I think of visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but don’t make it a priority. It was much easier in college, a time when Adoration was a block away. In my current state of life, as a wife and mother of small children, making a Holy Hour isn’t quite as simple as it used to be. Praying more than fifteen minutes each day isn’t as simple as it used to be. But it is possible. I just need to make it a priority. But of course, different seasons call for different needs, and just “making it a priority” can seem easier said than done.  For example, when I’ve just had a baby, the healthy thing to do for my mind and body is to rest. Waking up at 5 a.m. to get prayer in before little bellies need to be filled would be admirable, but perhaps not prudent. Especially with multiple middle of the night feedings. If I can string along a decent number of hours of sleep in a night, I feel much more refreshed to take on the day. Or maybe you’re not postpartum, but are fighting illness, or are sleep-deprived, and getting in good rest is the best decision for you. I’m not going to tell you to grin and bear it and wake up before the sun. But I will encourage you to plan a time each day, or even just a set amount of time, when you plan to pray.  I was recently convicted that I needed to spend five minutes of my prayer time just being still with the Lord. Usually I spend my daily prayer time doing a variety of spiritual reading and journaling. My eyes are usually scanning something, whether it be words on a page or the blank page before me, ready to be filled.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} But Jesus was asking me to just sit and listen. So that’s what I’ve been trying to do, even when a dozen to-do’s are swirling around my head. My daily prayer time isn’t lengthy, and it’s not always at the same time of day, but I try to be consistent, and I incorporate that five minutes of silence and stillness. I try to follow the advice of The Rule of St. Benedict, and listen with the ear of my heart. Sometimes it doesn’t always feel fruitful, and I don’t always feel like I’ve walked away with a specific word or message, but I usually always feel more at peace. My prayer time feels more about Him than about me. Without that five minutes, I find I’m consumed with seeking consolation from Him. However, with the five minutes, I’m reminded that I’m just simply His, and that, at least for a few moments, I’m not expected to be anything but that. This grounds me in the Truth and helps to keep me encouraged throughout my day.  So maybe it’s not an hour that the Lord is asking of you, but surely, as Saint Mother Teresa said, He is knocking at the door of your heart. Jesus is hoping you will open the door and invite Him in, in whatever form that looks like.  We read in John 21:15 that “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’” In calling me to five minutes of just waiting on Him and listening, Jesus was asking me if I loved Him more than I loved my list of things to do. Did I love Him more than a swept floor, an emptied dishwasher, or a text that needed a response? He was asking me to follow Him. Sometimes following Him can feel like stepping into the unknown. Are you willing to take the risk? How might He be asking you to return to Him in love?

I remember returning home from a spring semester abroad. It was four months filled with beautiful walks along cobblestone, picturesque sunsets viewed from the Spanish steps, and an unexpected grace to love the thirty other people I was living in community with. Loving all thirty of these people didn’t come easily at first. I definitely felt more good will towards those who were easy to like and sensed more tension and frustration with a few others. Yet sometime around Easter, I felt such an outpouring of grace, which deepened my ability to love. I experienced a grace which made being charitable so much easier.  Then came setting my feet upon American soil and re-entering normal life. Within just a few days I started noticing how impatient I was becoming with my family. I had just been living this blissful, Italian life for a gorgeous spring season, and when summer hit I found myself struggling to be gracious. What I and my fellow travel companions were realizing is that our family accepts us for who we are. They’ve seen most of our weaknesses and know our faults, yet they love us anyway. Because of this, it was easier to take my family for granted. I knew they’d accept me no matter what, so in a sense, the bar was lower. I didn’t need to impress my family with kindness, hospitality, and a good attitude. I could just be me, flaws and all, and I didn’t try very hard to hide or fix them. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} When I think of my comfortability with my family, it makes me think of how I sometimes respond to Jesus. I know He’s there, He knows I love Him, and I know He loves me. And because He’s always there, I take His presence for granted. I tend to stop looking for the Holy Spirit breathing in my life.  Maybe this is why in John 21:17 Jesus asks Simon a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The Gospel continues explaining that “Peter was distressed that he said to him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.’” Peter was being sincere when he was telling Jesus that he loved Him, but also knew that he had denied Jesus three times at a time when Jesus was most vulnerable. And part of his distress was this remembrance of the denial and the hesitation to accept forgiveness for what seemed unforgivable. In this story Peter learned that Jesus lets us return to Him again and again. He desires us to return. Even when we fail and forget to acknowledge Him. Even when we reject Him. Especially when we reject Him.  Jesus isn’t intimidated by our weaknesses. Psalm 136 tells us over and over that “His mercy endures forever.”  He will keep waiting for you. What are you waiting for?

“Go, and announce the Gospel of the Lord!” More often than not, this is how we are sent forth from Mass. A friend of ours says jokingly that a better English translation would be: “Go out! What are you still doing here?!” Because ultimately the Mass, modeled after Jesus’ ministry, does two things for the faithful: It gathers & sends. We are a people who are more than called—we are commanded—to gather for worship. What that worship does, after we have offered God the worship and gratitude He deserves from us, is fuel us up with the Good News to re-enter the world, our workplace, and our daily responsibilities with a deeper sense of our purpose and call. Done well, this is what defines us. “We do not want, as the newspapers say, a church that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world.” // G.K. Chesterton What makes the Church compelling is this topsy-turvy Good News spilling over into the rest of our lives—lepers healed, blind who see, the hungry filled, life from death. This kind of evangelization is only possible for those who are awake to the invitations of the Lord. If we are asleep to God’s work in our lives, our in-name-only faith does as much damage as its potential good. We are not called to perfection, but to active pursuit of God’s will for our lives. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} The Lord says to us, “Return to me with your whole heart” (Joel 2:12a). For many, this verse is muscle memory. It transports us to Ash Wednesday, but it is appropriate any time. We hear very little from the Prophet Joel, but he packs a punch in a short book.  The life of the Christian is one of re-conversion. Having been called to a higher level, we are constantly asked to “die to” our old habits, our old selves. This practice of pruning, or shedding, allows us the freedom to return to the source of life with humility, joy, and integrity.  None of us has ventured so far astray as to be excluded from this invitation to fullness of life. What will be your response? With full trust in the goodness and mercy of God as demonstrated by parables like that of the Prodigal Son, we are gathered and nourished. To receive that as a gift is the invitation. What we choose to do with that gift remains up to us, gathered & sent.  The next time we gather for Mass, would that we enter in, as Joel encourages us, with our whole hearts. Pray that it be spiritual sustenance for the journey. In so doing, let our sending be an enthusiastic and “world moving” response of those who have been nourished with the Good News! *When you do return to Mass, if you have been away for a while, make sure to return to the Sacrament of Confession before you receive the Holy Eucharist again in Communion, since receiving Communion is a sign of our unity with Christ and the Church in grace.

On the surface, the Parable of the Prodigal Son is a story of returning. Dig a little deeper and you will be captivated by the beautiful illustration of the nature of God’s love for us: unexpected, unmerited, generous, surprising, and forgiving. This story of the son’s dramatic exit and humble return home can speak to many circumstances of our own creation. However, Luke’s Gospel takes a major twist: While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. // Luke 15:20b Most of us can relate to the son, squandering something foolishly: an opportunity, inheritance, relationship, prayer life—you name it. And perhaps the real-time outcome for us was less than forgiving. What can we expect? We deserve it, we chide ourselves.  What the Parable of the Prodigal Son (and all of Scripture) aims to demonstrate is just how far the love of God reaches beyond our human understanding, and how far God will go to lavishly bestow that gift upon us. The Lord is forever inviting us to return! {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} There is no more tangible place to receive that love, God’s holy presence, than at Mass. Whether you attend Mass daily or haven’t been back for a long time, Jesus reminds us constantly that He desires us to return to Him, again and again and again. This truth is so radically important for us to understand that God becomes present in four distinct ways when we gather for the Liturgy: The Word Proclaimed: God is revealed to us in Scripture because “the Word became flesh & dwelt among us (John 1:14). The Community: Christ promised His presence to those who gathered in His name (see Matthew 18:20).  The Priest: The priest celebrating the Mass acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ, making present the same Sacrifice of Christ that was offered on the Cross. The Eucharist: The Bread of Life, given to us at the Last Supper (see Luke 22:19-20).  Should we ever seek the consolation of a God who is near to us—in our joy and sorrow—our opportunity to gather to worship together at Mass is God’s very self revealed, and He is awaiting our response. In a particular way, in this year of the Eucharistic revival, awakening our sense of God’s nearness in the Eucharist couldn’t be more timely. “In an ever-changing world, the Holy Eucharist is a constant reminder of the great reality of God’s changeless love.” // Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta A favorite priest of mine liked to compare Mass and prayer to a tennis match—a back-and-forth conversation—a call and response. What he and so many holy men and women have come to understand about God is the radical way that the God of the universe becomes available to us: simply, profoundly, daily. Perhaps the slower cadence of the summer’s lingering days offers an opportunity to accept the invitation to return to the Lord through the Mass. Haven’t been to Mass in years? Return and come home. Haven’t gathered for Mass since COVID? Return to Community. Looking for God’s presence in your life? Return to a deeper rhythm of prayer. Already go to Mass every week? Return to the Eucharist with new awareness.  WANT TO DEEPEN YOUR PRAYER? Get ready to be radically changed by the Lord and His presence. Be drawn into intimacy with the Lord by way of weekly videos, a community within the Blessed is She app, and invitations into reading scripture in a whole new way. BEGIN THE WELL: ABIDE

“True, one can fall or commit infidelities, but, knowing how to draw profit from everything, love quickly consumes everything that can be displeasing to Jesus; it leaves nothing but a humble and profound peace in the depths of the heart.” // Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul Over the past few years, I made it a goal to read as many of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s writings as possible. She’s been my best heavenly friend from my youth and a dear patron Saint. From her poems and her letters, to her prayers and her plays, and especially within the words found within her autobiography—the greatest theme of all that she writes is God’s Merciful Love.  Saint Thérèse’s fundamental message is that God is merciful and we can actively participate in this “totally gratuitous” gift through both accepting His mercy and, in turn, extending that same mercy to others (Story of a Soul)), p. 15). The whole of Saint Thérèse’s life, teachings, message, and autobiography flow from this great reality: that God so loved the world that He mercifully gave His only Son to us, that we may have life with Him and have it in abundance. This is the Good News, the one message that all the Saints, totally uniquely, echo in their lives: that God is love and His love extends to us, sinners, in Merciful Love.  This message of mercy was the focus of Saint Thérèse’s life. As she herself puts it, “To me He has granted His infinite Mercy, and through it I contemplate and adore the other divine perfections! All of these perfections appear to be resplendent with love; even His Justice (and perhaps this even more so than the others) seems to me clothed in love” (Story of a Soul, p. 180). Her complete surrender to God’s Merciful Love is what gave her the strength to practice charity towards others, to live out her “little way,” to intercede for others in her sufferings, and to make all of her beautiful sacrifices. What I noticed as I read about Saint Thérèse, was that as she accepted God’s mercy and love, she extended that same mercy and love to others. This is the proper response that we must have when we experience God’s mercy, for we read in Scripture, “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13.) When we experience God’s Merciful Love, especially in the Sacrament of Confession, we must extend mercy and love. We must offer it to others, as He has to us. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} We have no reason to fear God and every reason to trust in Him and surrender all to Him. God is love. And His love is so deep and complete that He turns toward us in mercy. God’s Merciful Love is always available to us, and what a gift it is to be able to receive that overwhelming love and mercy! We are all in need of His mercy. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Luke that mercy is not for the righteous, but for sinners (see Luke 5:32). God’s mercy isn’t extended to us just once or twice; rather it is offered to us “seventy times seven times”—indefinitely (Matthew 18:22). Our life stories are about realizing how loved we are by Him, accepting that love, and in turn, extending that same love to others. When we experience the mercy of God through Him in the Sacrament of Confession, we in turn become more merciful. We in turn desire to extend that same mercy that we have experienced, even “seventy times seven times.” Mercy humbles us, it makes us live more intimately with the rest of humanity, just as Christ did in His Incarnation. It reveals to us that we are in need of a Savior.  When we experience His Merciful Love we realize how life-changing it is. We begin to desire to extend mercy and love to others so that they, too, may know of God’s complete, transformative Merciful Love that removes all despair. When we, with Saint Thérèse, embrace our weakness and give Christ the joy of being our Savior, when we remain little and call upon His mercy, we are free! We are confident; we are His.  Turn to Him, return to Him, rejoice in Him, and respond to Him in the Sacrament of Confession. Experience His Merciful Love, and in turn, share that mercy and love with all those you encounter.

Last year, as the primary educator of my children, I received permission from my parish to teach my son his Sacramental preparation at home. Working closely with what our parish required, my husband and I taught our son about the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, preparing  him to receive them. As it turned out, this special opportunity became a gift for our entire family. As I taught my son about the Sacrament of Confession, I was reminded of its incredible beauty and power. Yet the greatest lesson was not something I taught my son; rather, it was what he taught me: the joy of participating in the sacramental life. His overwhelming excitement to receive this Sacrament, especially on the day of his First Confession, reminded me what a pure gift the reception of God’s mercy is. I will never forget his smile when he left the confessional for the first time. He was beaming!  When I brought him to receive this Sacrament for the second time, as we stood waiting in the line, the woman behind us commented on how she had been nervous about going to Confession. She explained that her anxiety went away by watching my son, and his smile and eagerness made her yearn to receive the graces found in the confessional.  With childlike hearts, we, too, can approach and leave the confessional with joy. My son knows that no sin is too big for God’s mercy. He knows that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who is always waiting for him after each and every sin. He knows that God’s Merciful Love is the strongest, most beautiful reality. He knows that he is loved and totally forgiven when he is absolved. He knows that no matter which priest he meets or in what state he finds him in the confessional—grumpy, joyful, tired, or energetic—the reality is that he is forgiven by Jesus Christ Himself. He knows that returning in humility to Christ is joy, and that freedom from sin is joy. He knows that when he sins and goes to Confession, that he gives Jesus His greatest joy, the joy of being his Savior.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Our world needs the joy found in the confessional. Our souls need it. We are not called to mediocrity; we are called to be Saints. We are called to cast our nets into the deep—throwing aside our sinfulness in exchange for the great, abundant, overwhelming catch of grace, of joy. Do not let fear, anxiety, or pride stop you from confessing your sins and receiving absolute forgiveness. Rather, turn to Jesus, who is Merciful Love, and ask Him to accompany you to begin life anew, to draw you out of the depths, to help you conquer the death of sin, to break the chains, and to become His joy for the world.   Within the Sacraments we find Jesus; we become united to Him. We enter into the fullness of life here on earth with Him. His life animates our own as He makes His home at our center. The fruit of the sacramental life is living a life of mercy, love, and deep joy. By frequenting the Sacraments we strengthen that Christocentric union and we will soon realize that nothing here on earth will fill us as the Sacraments do. Christ anchors us in reality, and the Sacraments are our physical and spiritual connection to His reality, the greatest gift and treasure we have on earth.  The Father’s Merciful Love for us is so deep that it even anticipates our repentance. He is waiting for us. Each time we pick ourselves up after a fall, every time we return to Him, the feast of the prodigal son is renewed. When we choose to return to Him each time we fall, our very sin is an occasion to experience His Merciful Love; “From misery to misery we go from mercy to mercy.” (source)  Let us together return to the Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of mercy, and in doing so, return to Jesus, our joy.

A Father Who Never Tires of Calling Us Back To Him Thankfully, God went looking for me, and like we read in Luke 15 in the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the good Lord saw me—broken, feeling hopeless, the innocence of my youth gone with the abuse. He never gave up on me. He will never give up on you either.  Allow Him to find you and give Him a chance to give back to you everything you feel that you have lost because of any trauma you have gone through. Let Him in! You will be amazed at the beautiful things God can create with your broken pieces. Maybe you have been believing in the lie that God only seeks other people—not you. Or that you are not special enough for Him to leave the ninety-nine to go looking for you.  The good news is that you are more than special enough! Remember—God sent His only son to die an awful death, for sins He never committed, as a way to prove His love for us. Pray that you can be attentive and recognize those people in your life that God may be using to draw you to Him. And those people may be physically present in our lives, but may also be the Saints who went before us. I love reading about the lives of the Saints and know the Saints are also my spiritual mentors as I try to go deeper into my relationship with the Lord. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Come Back To Him It is an understatement to say that we are living in some very tumultuous times. Families are in crises, and many individuals are struggling with anxiety and depression. You may find yourself in your own deserted place at this moment, looking for nourishment in all the wrong places. I can sympathize because I lived in that dry desert for years. It is precisely in the desert of our hearts, in our moments of desolation, that God desires for His Spirit to bloom. God, who created us and has given us everything, only asks that we freely give Him one thing—our hearts. He has been knocking on the doors of our hearts in a world that continually rejects Him, even though it belongs to Him (see John 1:5, 11). The Lord is always eager, always waiting, for us to return to Him. One of the ways that I know I can always return to Him is by intentionally spending time with Him in prayer. As Christians, we should place just as much, if not more, time and energy on caring for our souls as we do  our physical bodies. You will be amazed at what God can do with just a little extra time and attention we give to Him by setting aside time for prayer and to receive the Sacraments. In a culture where people increasingly focus on money and worldly success, with very little time left for God, I encourage you to consider the alternative. “If you live for the next world, you get this one in the deal; but if you live only for this world, you lose them both.” // C.S. Lewis

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” // John 14:2 The “many dwelling places” in this verse always remind me of all the different seasons in my own life and how God was always there, using different people and situations to invite me to come deeper into His home. Even when I didn’t believe in Him, He still loved me and had a place at His table set up just for me. Human beings can only come to God through other persons, whether other human beings, angels, or God Himself as one of the Persons of the Trinity. He always comes to people through people. It is this interaction between people that God is mostly interested in. He knows that for us to get to know Him, we sometimes have to be introduced to Him by another person who knows Him—someone whose faith and wisdom have brought them to a place of understanding the power of our personal testimony. Sharing chapters of our life stories, showing those parts where God showed up for us, is a way to point people to Jesus. We all have a story. You have a story and your story matters. Stories have the power to connect us to one another more than anything else. We shouldn’t be afraid that we are not worthy to speak God’s name or to share all He has done in our lives though sharing our stories. Making ourselves vulnerable and opening up with others in community by sharing our struggles and triumphs is how we can inspire and give others hope. When I first started writing books, a number of people didn't believe in me or in my talent as a writer. But God, the One who gave me that talent, went ahead and placed a few good people in my path who have supported me. That has made all the difference in my life. We all need people who believe in us. We need people who understand us well, validate us, and show us unconditional love and support when we need it the most. It is good to remember that sometimes God will send different people into our lives for a season only—that is okay. He always provides the right people at each period of your life who will best guide you towards Him. “God sends us friends to be our firm support in the whirlpool of struggle. In the company of friends we will find strength to attain our sublime ideal.”  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} We need whole communities to understand how important it is to love, support, and disciple others so we can have hearts that are set aflame, ready to pass this fire on to others. There are so many lost souls in the world right now who could use guidance from people who have been lost before and, by the grace of God and the help of other people, have now found their way to Jesus. If you know someone who has been away from Christ and His Church, be patient with them. I have found through experience that it is usually a big misunderstanding or big wound that is the true culprit behind why someone walks away from God and His Church. As you wait and pray, ask God to do the heavy lifting and the convincing for you. All you need is a desire to be a true friend and bless them with your unconditional love and presence. In my own story, I spent close to two decades of my life away from God. The devastating trauma from the sexual abuse and rape I went through as a little girl, coupled with the lies the evil one led me to believe, made me doubt the mere existence of God. My trauma led me to ask questions such as these: Is there a God? And if there is, does He love me? And if He loves, why did He allow this terrible thing to happen to me when I was just a little girl? Each lost soul has their own reason why they have found themselves in that dark place. God knows our pain. He knows when we are living in a spiritual desert. And in His goodness, He loves us too much to just leave us there all alone in the wilderness. My relationships with all the wonderful men and women throughout the years who have taken their time to spiritually mentor me have been an essential part of my continuing conversion. I truly believe we can never succeed at anything alone. Together we are always stronger. God created us to need one another—and in this need and self gift to each other, we image Him, the Trinity.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. // John 14:2 Typically, when I read John 14 and meditate on how it applies to my life, it comes from the context of wanting to feel like I belong somewhere. I think sometimes, when we go through transitions or events that alter our identity and sense of belonging, we can forget that from the minute we were loved into being, we have always belonged to God. This summer, I wanted to look at John 14 in a new light. Specifically, in the larger context that our Earthly lives are meant to be lived with the intention of coming back to the Lord over and over again. Though there are moments when we stray like lost sheep or we forget what His voice sounds like, we are called to return to Him. In this life and the next. His Endless Pursuit When we become too self-reliant, we forget that half the battle is surrendering our lives to the Lord. Sometimes in our prayer lives and in the spiritual life, we forget that God is the one who calls us to prayer. He is constantly pursuing us, even when we have turned away from Him. There is no such thing as being too far gone or becoming a version of yourself that Christ no longer loves because His love washes away sin and continually renews us. I will come again and I will take you to myself. // John 14:3 In Jesus’ Farewell Discourse, His disciples do not fully understand what He means when He talks about going back to the Father. They want to come with Him right away without the knowledge of what He is about to do: lay down His life to save us. Yet even though the disciples are not fully aware of the depth of His Love in that very moment, Jesus makes it clear that He will continue to pursue us and is able to do so outside of the constraints of time and space. Coming Home Because Christ gave us the gift of free will, we are given the choice of whether or not we want to love Him back. His love never intrudes. It does not demand. It does not force itself into our lives. In every relationship we have, whether romantic or platonic, there are two people involved who constantly have to make the choice to choose each other. The same applies to our relationship with the Lord. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found. // Luke 15:23-24 In the story of the prodigal son, the father opens his arms with compassion and mercy. The son fully expects to be punished since his actions do not warrant such grace, but the thing about God’s Love is that it is not something to be earned or deserved, it is freely given. Throughout our lives, we have probably been the prodigal [daughter] at some point. During the times we have strayed, Jesus has been in His Father’s house patiently waiting for our RETURN. Return Summer Series Over the next ten days, our blog team will share stories of how they have returned to the Lord in these five different ways: through the influence of other people, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and daily prayer. Each pathway of returning features the Lord’s invitation as well as the writer’s response to the Lord’s call. We invite you to join us for this special summer series on the Blessed Is She blog. Whether you are the person helping someone to return, you have just returned or are in the process of wanting to come home, this series has something for everyone. We are waiting for you, sister. Come home. Will you join us for this summer series? Are you ready to return?

In the 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ, there is a poignant scene after the brutal scourging at the pillar. Jesus’ bloody Body is dragged away from the pillar, and the ground is covered with His Blood. The Blessed Mother enters the courtyard with Saints John and Mary Magdalene, she kneels down, and with maternal love and devotion, she carefully begins cleaning up His Blood from the ground. This scene depicts the type of reverence all of us should have for the Precious Blood of Jesus, which was poured out for our redemption. One way to cultivate such devotion is by taking part in July’s dedication to the Precious Blood of Jesus. The Catholic Church assigns dedications to each month of the calendar year. These dedications give us opportunities to learn more about our Faith and to cultivate greater devotion in our life. History of Devotion For more than one hundred years, July 1 marked the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This feast was instituted by Pope Pius IX in 1849, as a protection against the dangers threatening society. However, devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus goes back even farther. Some say that the Church has always had devotion to the Precious Blood, since She has always been devoted to the Passion and Death of Christ. While this feast day was dropped from the liturgical calendar after Vatican II, moving devotion to the Precious Blood to the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ which is also known as Corpus Christi, the traditional monthly dedication remains. Consequently, it is worth discovering ways to deepen devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus in our lives. Cultivating Devotion We can cultivate devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus in three ways: through the Sacraments, Sacred Scripture, and the Saints. Sacraments // The first way we can grow in devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus is through the Sacraments, particularly the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. According to Tradition, Jesus shed His Blood for us seven times throughout His life: Circumcision Agony in the garden Scourging at the pillar Crowning of thorns Carrying of the Cross Crucifixion Piercing of His side The Precious Blood that was shed at each one of these events in Christ’s life is fully present in the chalice after the Consecration. And we are invited to contemplate, adore, and receive this reality at each Mass. According to the Catechism of Saint Pius X: Both under the species of the bread and under the species of the wine the living Jesus Christ is all present, with His Body, His Blood, His Soul and His Divinity. Both in the Host and in the chalice Jesus Christ is whole and entire, because He is living and immortal in the Eucharist as He is in Heaven; hence where His Body is, there also are His Blood, His Soul, and His Divinity; and where His Blood is, there also are His Body, His Soul and His Divinity, all these being inseparable in Jesus Christ. Therefore, whether we attend Mass that offers Holy Communion under both species (in the appearance of bread and of wine) or only offers the Host, we receive the Precious Blood of Jesus every time we receive Holy Communion. In fact, “the Host is broken over the chalice, to indicate that the Blood contained in the chalice proceeds from the broken Body of Christ” (Roman Catholic Daily Missal).  Yes, as one priest puts it, “When we receive communion, when the host is placed on our tongue and then rests inside us, we possess, with the body of Jesus, all His blood, His living blood, His divine blood” (From Trinity Sunday to the Assumption). He says further, “All of the sacraments draw their value from the blood of Jesus: they have been called the vases of the blood of Jesus Christ. We were baptized in the blood of Jesus and it is this same blood which purifies our souls at each one of our confessions. But the most striking contact with the precious blood is at Mass.” {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Sacred Scripture // The Blood of Jesus is mentioned many times throughout Sacred Scripture. Below are just a few verses to pray with in order to deepen our devotion to the Precious Blood of Christ. “[T]his is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” // Matthew 26:28 “[W]e are now justified by His blood.” // Romans 5:9 “In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace.” // Ephesians 1:7-8  “For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross.” // Colossians 1:19-20 “[Y]ou were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.” // 1 Peter 1:18-19 “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” // 1 John 1:7 “These are they who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” // Revelation 7:14 The Saints // Throughout history, the Saints have had great reverence and devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus. Below is a small sample of their thoughts, which can inspire our own devotion. “Precious Blood, ocean of divine mercy: Flow upon us! Precious Blood, most pure offering: Procure us every grace! Precious Blood, hope and refuge of sinners: Atone for us! Precious Blood, delight of holy souls: Draw us! Amen.” // Saint Catherine of Siena “This Blood that but one drop of has the power to win all the world forgiveness of its world of sin.” // Saint Thomas Aquinas “Blood of Christ, inebriate me.” // Saint Ignatius of Loyola “This blood, when worthily received, drives away demons and puts them at a distance from us, and even summons to us angels and the Lord of angels. This blood, poured out in abundance, has washed the whole world clean. This is the price of the world; by it Christ purchased the Church.” // Saint John Chrysostom “O adorable Blood of Jesus, wash our stains, save us from the anger of the avenging angel. Irrigate the Church; make her fruitful with Apostles and miracle-workers, enrich her with souls that are holy, pure and radiant with divine beauty.” // Saint Albert the Great “To preserve me from hell and purchase Heaven for me, Jesus Christ gave all the blood of His body, down to the last drop—and how could I not love Him!” // Saint Alphonsus Liguori Prayers of Devotion Lastly, to round out our cultivation of devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus, the Church has given us some beautiful prayers to incorporate into our spiritual life: Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Chaplet of the Most Precious Blood Prayer to Our Lady of the Precious Blood Do you have a devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus? What has helped it to grow and flourish in your life? THE GREATEST GIFT In this study on the Eucharist, we explore the truth that Jesus is the answer to your every need. Join us as we explore John chapter 6 to learn how the reality of the Holy Eucharist applies to our lives. Discover what a gift He is. GET THE GIFT STUDY