“Feed My Church”: Images From Prayer

“Feed my sheep.” The words penetrate deep into me. Something powerful shivers within me…

Several months ago, the Lord shared with me this powerful image of how He will preserve His Church–even if the world may seem to be crumbling down.

Consuming Purity: A Eucharistic Poem

The first snowfall is flawless,
A blanket of white, blinding, bliss;
Purity untouched by the footprints of man,
By the messy footprints of everyday trespasses.

For a time, for a brief time, in the morning light, it glistens,
Crystals of ice, like glittering particles of gems.
I want to take it all in, to wrap it round me, to consume it,
I want this beauty to consume me within it. …

Marriage in the Image of God

“In the face of a society that has lost sight of the profound meaning of marital intimacy,” we as Christians need to not merely condemn the modern culture, but impress on our culture a positive sense of its sacredness. Marriage is made in the image of God–in the image of the Trinity and of Christ’s love for His Church–in the image of a love that is a free, total, faithful, and fruitful gift of oneself.

One High Priest, One Sacrifice

Christ–the one High Priest and one Sacrifice–acts through the priests of His Catholic Church. When the priest consecrates the bread and wine, it is Jesus who offers Himself to us, saying: “This is my Body, which is given up for you.” And when we go to Confession, it is Jesus who says: “Your sins are forgiven–go in peace.”

The Eucharistic Miracles of St. Catherine of Siena

For the last seven years of her life, Catherine ate nothing besides the Eucharist–Yes, you read that correctly! Astoundingly, by a special miracle she was literally nourished by Christ alone and was able to carry out her many works of service and counsel with surprising energy. Many people had their doubts about whether this was true, but here is why the accounts are strongly convincing:

A Witness to Oral Tradition in the Early Church: St. Irenaeus

St. Irenaeus, a bishop from the second century who had a close association with the apostles, writes explicitly about the need to rely on the Church’s oral tradition in order to interpret Sacred Scripture and combat heresy. Here, and in the circumstances of the time, we can see that the early Christians did not believe in relying on the Bible alone, but respected and needed the authority of the Catholic Church, just as we need it today.