It is so important to incorporate the devotion to Mary and her holy intercession with her son along with a strong devotion to the Eucharist today. Why? Because people who do this are kept free from error and from sin. Mary is the New Testament Ark of the Covenant, because, like the original Ark of the Covenant, she also had the Word of God inside of her for nine months (made in flesh, rather than in stone). Mary and the Eucharist are the Catholic Church’s twin terrors to the devil.
The Word Made Flesh in Mary
Mary and the Eucharist in the New Testament are directly analogous to the Ark of the Covenant and the Word of God (The Ten Commandments) in the Old Testament. The Israelites were successful in takingJericho when they had the Word of God inside the Ark of the Covenant in front of them. Just so, today, those who are actively seeking out Christ and His teachings who have Mary (the Ark of the New Covenant) and the Eucharist (The Word of God made Flesh) in front of them, will always be successful in their spiritual battles with satan. The more one is devoted to Mary through the Holy Rosary and other Marian devotions, along with a strong devotion to the Eucharist, the tougher time the devil has of getting through to our weaknesses. Temptations that would cause the ordinary man or woman to fall do not have the same effect on one who has Mary and the Eucharist in their heart and mind and soul.
They act just like a spacesuit does for astronauts. Astronauts are protected from the harsh environment of space with a spacesuit that provides both pressure and oxygen for their bodies. Just so, Christians are protected from the harsh environment of 21st century secularism and hedonism with Mary and the Eucharist. Mary continually intercedes for us to her Son Jesus, who, in return, provides grace for us through the Eucharist. And the more one is seeking Christ through Mary with humility and forgiveness in their heart, the more grace flows through the Eucharist to both our body and our soul.
The Eucharist Re-Presented at Mass
A lot of misinformed people think that the priest is “re-sacrificing” Christ on the altar at each Mass. But, in fact, the same Last Supper is being “re-presented” to us, through time and space, at the altar. It’s like the sun coming up each morning. The sun which we see each dawn is not a new sun; rather, it is the same sun that has been there all along, but which has been hidden from us, due to the curvature of the earth. It is, however, re-presented to us each day, just like the Eucharist is re-presented to us each day at holy Mass, as our daily bread from heaven. It’s the same with reruns – each time we watch an old movie, it is not a new movie, rather, the old one is re-presented to us. It’s a wonderful thing to be spiritually present at the same Last Supper that the apostles were at!
“Remembrance”
It’s important to know that the word “remembrance” used by Jesus in Luke 22:19 doesn’t mean to just think about a past event. This is the whole meaning of the Greek term “anamnesis” (“Do this in remembrance (anamnesis) of me&rdquo
. “Anamnesis” means to make a past sacrifice present today. This is exactly how the Jews view their Passover meal – “WE are being freed from slavery tonight! The Commandment “Remember to keep holy the lord’s day” doesn’t mean to roll over on Sunday and remember, “Oh yeah, it’s the Lord’s Day,” and then do nothing else. “Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day” means to go and be present with the Lord in His Church! When the good thief on the cross told Jesus to “Remember me in your Kingdom,” he didn’t mean for Jesus to get to heaven and say, “I remember that thief on the cross. Too bad about him!” No, “Remember me in your Kingdom” is a statement that meant that the good thief wanted to be present with the Lord in Heaven. And when someone says to “remember your wife on her birthday,” one had better do more than just remember her birthday mentally and do nothing else. No, you better celebrate and do something physically with her!
The rest of it.....
