What Will Heaven Be Like?
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The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian faith. Even our simple, private prayers gravitate around the reality of the Eucharist. The sacramental nature of the faith is designed by God to align with our material existence as embodied beings. Just as the body of Jesus on the cross is the vehicle to our redemption, the body of Jesus in the Eucharist is the vehicle to our sanctification and relationship with God.
Our chat below explores this reality in our faith walk. Here you will find discussions on keeping the Eucharist at the heart of all our prayer life, how to engage with virtual Eucharistic celebrations, being better prepared to participate in the Mass/Liturgy, and even the difference between prayer and meditation.
Enter into this chat with the prayer to help deepen your own faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and that more people in the world come to faith in Jesus in the Eucharist.
And check out our Living Jesus Chat Room of the Visitation Sisters. Each Sunday we read a passage of St. Francis de Sales and then gather great insights and sharing.
Question: Why is the Eucharist the center of the Christian religion? And does this detract from the person of the Holy Spirit?
Louise: The Eucharist is a physical manifestation of God – but a spiritual reality. It is God truly present and with us and this is important because, as creatures, we have difficulty with feeling/knowing God’s presence – we need the tangible to assist our understanding.
Visitation Sister: It is a great, the greatest gift of God to us.
Sherry: Well, because it links us with Christ Himself, that’s how we become his body and are able to fulfill the Great Commission.
Louise: Because it is God coming down to us. A miracle.
Sherry: How can God be a competitor to himself? … that is in regard to the second part of the question (Holy Spirit).
Visitation Sister: Three in one and one in three.
Sherry: Amen.
Question: Why is prayer united to the Eucharist more powerful?
Louise: I think the Eucharist – for me – gives me a tangible feeling of being with and in Him - and the Holy Spirit is ephemeral - everywhere – all around and in us.
Visitation Sister: But when the Holy Spirit gives His gifts, then we experience Him more strongly.
Sherry: There is something so sacred, having His body – embedded in my body – it’s like being drawn into the Trinity for a moment.
Visitation Sister: Probably, Sherry, you are in The Trinity, at least mystically.
Sherry: That’s how it feels.
Visitation Sister: Prayer united to the Eucharist is prayer with and in Christ.
Louise: When I place myself in the presence of God, I initially think of Him as Christ – a human right beside or in front of me. As my prayer deepens, I do not need to rely on my own imagination as much.
Sherry: I love “prayer with and in Christ.” How more powerful can it get? And, Louise, I can relate to your imagination and letting go of it too.
Question: St. Francis says that if you cannot make it to Communion on a daily basis, join by a spiritual communion. What is this exactly?
Louise: When I am praying well, I feel like I am not in my body but sort of absorbed into something, not a place or in time.
Denise: His explanation of Spiritual Communion is the most complete I’ve read….
Sherry: Sounds like you are enjoying sometimes contemplative prayer times. My favorite ones too.
Denise: We are the Mystical Body of Christ, so spiritual communion is natural.
Sherry: I find the article described it well. We can attach our will to receiving Christ combined with the Mass. In my old church the priest would always say a prayer during COVID for those who celebrated at home on TV.
Louise: Praying the Mass with the priest is a beautiful thing – we are spiritually united, I find it difficult to pray with a TV – but rather just in the quiet of my life room.
Sherry: When you say you “pray the Mass,” Louise, what exactly are you praying? I would be interested in how you are all participating in a Mass when you cannot physically go to a Mass.
Louise: Like the 1-5 steps outlined in the reading. It is what the priest is doing on the altar – and I unite my prayers to him – to everyone’s.
Rebecca: Today I went to my usual 8 AM Mass out here at Assumption. Father announced that there would be Eucharistic Adoration after the ten AM Mass at St. B’s. Assumption is only open Sundays for Mass and briefly before and after. I so miss the time I used to spend in quiet Eucharistic Adoration a few days each week that I hitched a ride with our Pastor back into town, attended the ten AM and stayed for Adoration not knowing how I would get back home.
Sherry: Rebecca, you are such a holy adventurer.
Visitation Sister: But we much rather have Mass and go out to Church when we need to.
Sherry: Oh, I see, I know a Communion service, I think.
Visitation Sister: Yes.
Sherry: I thought you would have Mass in your house anyways. In Austria, the Visitation order has the church built as part of the monastery. I meant in Vienna.There are several Visitation orders in Austria.
Visitation Sister: We do but we can’t always get a priest.
Sherry: Ooh. That is so sad, the lack of priests.
Question: When we can attend Mass/Liturgy, how can we be more engaged and present?
Sherry: I find it a stark difference, if I come earlier before ass – and prepare my heart for Mass and also know the readings already, or when I rush in totally not prepared, then Mass is often “missed” in my heart.
Visitation Sister: Yes, preparation is so key.
Sherry: We have a lot of priests from other countries with very thick accents. It is easy to just stop listening when I do not understand so many words but when I look at the lips of the priest then I can stay focused better.
Visitation Sister: We also have priests with accents but after a while if they keep returning, we adjust. In the Eastern rite, before the Gospel, the priest or deacon says something like “be attentive” That helps when I might drift a bit.
Sherry: I have heard that the bells at the Communion prayer were originally for the very same reason “be attentive NOW.” You are right; we get used to the accents. This is funny because I also have an accent.
Visitation Sister: Minor.
Sherry: Thank you, Sister. I am so blessed right now with the two priests where I go for morning Mass. It is easy to stay focused with both of them.
Rebecca: Sherry, I did not even notice that you have an accent. Your English is better than that of most Americans.
Sherry: Awe, Rebecca, how sweet of you to say, but trust me I still make mistakes and later in the evening when I get tired, I often do not find the right words.
Question: What is the distinction between prayer and meditation?
Sherry: I would say that meditations should include a resolution. That is an element other forms of prayer do not include.
Louise: Prayer is like conversation, but I am doing most of the talking and gradually say less – and listen more.
Rebecca: Like Visitandines!
Sherry: Meditation is for me linked with a Bible text or a holy writing to meditate on. Prayer does not have this necessarily.
Louise: I can’t really explain meditation.
Sherry: Louise, it is also defined differently in different streams of spiritualities.
Rebecca: Or perhaps a painting.
Sherry: Totally agree, Rebecca, or painting. Meditation seems to be a little bit different in Salesian Spirituality than in Carmelite Spirituality, I find. But that does not matter. Because in the end, your connection with God counts.
Visitation Sister: How does it differ?
Louise: I think my meditation has been fostered by Carmelite spiritual Saints.
Sherry: Meditation in Carmelite tradition has no resolution and is not as structured as I find the Salesian way.
Visitation Sister: Ah thanks.
Sherry: But St. Francis was also informed by Carmelite Spirituality, so please do not think they are exclusive at all.
Sherry: I led some retreats on the Visitation – last week I brought 14 prints of paintings on the Visitation and everyone looked at one – sometimes in little groups and through the unique focus of each painting, we discovered the theology of THE VISITATION. That was a very interesting way of meditating too.
Visitation Sister: That sounds so interesting, great idea.
Louise: No – certainly not exclusive. It’s individual; we are drawn to God in diverse ways.
Sherry: I also discovered in the preparation for these retreats that Elizabeth stands for the Old Testament (priestly covenant) and Mary for the New Testament, that makes it even more amazing. And I found the most beautiful song on the Magnificat. It brought tears to my eyes. Can I share the link here?
Visitation Sister: Yes please.
Sherry: It is not a hymn Sister It is a most powerful song The Magnificat in Latin by an Alto voice Mary is so powerful in this one Let this song be sung over you and enter the greatness of God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=kofx63hkpk4&list=rdkofx63hkpk4&start_radio=1
Sherry: It has been my deepest Advent experience this year so far.
Visitation Sister: Like an opera, almost.
Sherry: Oh, so happy you found it Sister. Oh, the ending is outstanding. You are drawn into the heights of Mary’s faith and love for God.
Louise: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!
Sherry: Amen, Louise, Amen.
Rebecca: I wonder if it would not be considered meditation when we invite the presence of God into any reality and just stay there with this experience for a while, somehow align our thoughts and feelings with those of God, as best we can discern them.
Question: If we cannot attend Mass in person, is it worthwhile to virtually attend the Holy Sacrifice? How can this best be done?
Sherry: I must say I hardly go online for Mass. I rather do the readings meditatively. But I go to Mass almost every day.
Visitation Sister: I only attended virtually during some months of Covid with a huge screen so I had more of a feeling of being there.
Sherry: That definitely feels more like participating, than me sitting in front of my phone or little TV.
Visitation Sister: And we participated as if at a Mass in person plus we have the Eucharist reserved here.
Sherry: What a blessing, Sister.
Denise: Traditional Latin parishes did not close.
Visitation Sister: Really did not know that.
Sherry: I do not think that our Latin parish was open.
Sherry: I know that they did not have the Eucharist for the longest time. Longer than other parishes because they only received on the tongue, which the Bishop did not allow during COVID.
Visitation Sister: We had 4 Latin Masses here last week.
Denise: Wonderful.
Sherry: Did you have a special priest visiting?
Visitation Sister: Yes, from the Institute of Christ Sovereign King Priest.
Sherry: Never heard to be honest, but it seems he was a true blessing for you and the monastery.
Visitation Sister: https://icksp.org.uk/
Sherry: Thank you, Sister. I could open the link but will read it later.
Denise: I don’t know about this.
Sherry: I did not even understand this. Does that mean that you can put your prayer request in during Mass? Why would I chat? So confused.
Visitation Sister: Maybe comment on the homily????
Sherry: What every priest wants.
Denise: I’ve never heard of chatbox.
Visitation Sister: I would not do that during Mass, even if on TV or computer!
Sherry: What do you think St. Francis would have said to this? Seriously. I mean he loved modern communication. But this?
Denise: Right!
Visitation Sister: He’d say: “what is that box?”
Sherry: Do you think he would encourage his flock to do this?
Visitation Sister: No.
Sherry: I think He would like to guard the focus on the altar. Oh, How I miss reading his writings with all the preparation. Recently I kind of stopped for a while to read daily in his writings, my soul is going through withdrawal.
Visitation Sister: Well, each of you have a blessed second week of Advent! Read his advent sermons, Sherry.
Denise: Thank you, everyone, and Sr Susan. Have a blessed 2nd week advent. Is anyone here fasting?
Visitation Sister: A little.
Sherry: I am in a very reduced “life mode,” fasting a little bit.
Visitation Sister: Good night!
If you enjoyed this article, why not join us at our Living Jesus Chat Room of the Visitation Sisters. Join us at 7:30 p.m. ET each Sunday! We read a passage of St. Francis de Sales and then gather great insights and sharing!
Kevin J. Banet is a journalist and publicist. He provides marketing for religious communities, non-profits and healthcare services. Kevin and his family live in the Chicago area. His website is VocationPromotion.com.
