The first few times I flew in an airplane I was not exactly the bravest of fliers, especially if any turbulence was involved. A major step in alleviating my fears took place on one flight when a pilot in transit seated next to me saw me white-knuckling. He said to focus my attention on what was in front of me and not what was out the window. Although prayer was involved during the turbulence, what he said did work. In the years since then, I have overcome flying fears by adopting the practice of praying at take-off that we might arrive safely at our destination, invoking the angels to surround the plane at all times. Happily, this prayer no longer arises from fear, but rather from faith accompanied by the understanding that we all have a guardian angel which belongs to the larger ‘company’ of angels. Our guardian angel is a spiritual being with whom we should not only be familiar, but with whom we should have a continually developing relationship. Not only that, but we should acknowledge and relate with all the angels.* As part of God’s creation, they have an important function in worship as well as to battle the forces of evil that assail the world, to guide us through life and home to Heaven. 

Ancient Jewish tradition taught that there are nine choirs of angels and that the angels were created by God in the beginning; some chose obedient service to Him and others refused to do so. (My remarks will be limited to the good ones who serve God.) There are numerous passages in the Bible in which they are mentioned, and of these, many are detailed. Of significance are the named archangels that have a major role and are described in some way: Michael, prominent in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation; Gabriel, prominent in the gospel of Luke; and Raphael, a main figure in the book of Tobit.** There are also important references that appear in the Gospels such as when Jesus cast out demons, (fallen angels), and when He spoke of angels in some of His teaching such as when He said: “See that you despise none of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:10). It was later in Church history that St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Gregory elaborated upon these choirs and their unique functions.***

Church teaching is that each person is given a guardian angel at conception and that this angel will accompany us throughout our life. Weekly we affirm this teaching, professing our belief in them every time we say the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible….” It is important, then, to take the gift of the angels seriously and not neglect our guardian in any way. Remember, there is more to the gift of our guardian angel than only invoking them for protection or guidance. We must also recognize that they love us, and therefore, given their constant friendship and companionship, we need to love them in return. Perhaps we have not thought of loving angels before, so this would be a good time to consider our guardian angel and who that angel is to us. It would also be good to foster an attitude of love toward angels in general, (that is, all of them), who often interact on our behalf quite unseen; they are present and active in the world at all times. Acknowledging the presence of the angels as we approach the Lord in our personal prayer can help in fostering our relationship with them. As St. Ambrose once said, “The angels are part of God’s glory. When He enters our heart, the angels will also enter as they are always with Him.”

I suggest reflection on the role of the angels, and also that we pray specifically to our guardian angel, offering thanks for their constancy and love. It might also be helpful to consider the role of the angels in the lives of the saints, and especially in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary who also had a guardian. (Perhaps many accompanied her once she responded “yes” to the archangel Gabriel, sent as God’s messenger.) This is not a flight of fanciful imagination, but rather, we can consider all of Mary’s life with its joys and sufferings as a result of her role as the mother of Jesus. We can consider how Jesus needed the angels, too, especially after He was tempted in the desert and again during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Reflecting or meditating in this way can help our understanding that when we suffer, we are not alone; our angel is by our side to offer companionship, comfort, and love. 

​It is part of our faith and spirituality to be mindful that we are always accompanied by a guardian angel that carries out the will of God: our angel is there to protect us in every way, to guide, be ministers of graces sent by the Holy Spirit, and to carry our prayers to the Father. And it is good to prayerfully address them, especially with words of gratitude. To neglect them would portray a perhaps unintended disposition of ingratitude for such a wonderful gift. Therefore, let us adopt an attitude of heart which fosters growth in friendship with the angels, and especially with the one who is our special friend, our Guardian.

May we acknowledge the presence of our guardian angel with gratitude and love! May we become more aware of the ways in which the angels are active in the Church and in the world! And may we grow in reverence of all that the Lord has created, that which is seen and unseen! Let us meet at prayer in the presence of our angels! Peace!

​                                ©Michele L. Catanese

* Of course, when I say we should have a relationship with all the angels, I mean the ones who serve God, that is, the good ones. The fallen angels (demons) permanently chose to disobey; we want nothing to do with these and should avoid them at all costs.
** References of the archangels in Scripture:
-Michael – Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7-8
-Gabriel – Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19; Luke 1:26
-Raphael: Almost the entire book of Tobit involves Raphael who does his work in disguise until he reveals himself in chapter 12:15-18
https://ucatholic.com/saints/archangels/
*** Christian teaching also attests to 9 choirs of angels. The 9 are angels, archangels, principalities, thrones, dominations, powers, virtues, cherubim, and seraphim. You can find more on the 9 choirs of angels here: https://www.catholic.org/saints/angels/angelchoir.php

Note: There will not be a post on August 12. If you want something to tide you over until my next post on August 26 you can go to my post from August 10, 2020 which is called Lessons from Mary: www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/lessons-from-mary

Images:
1. My photo; taken from the plane window as we were flying into Dubrovnik, Croatia.
2. Icon; Archangels. From left to right: St. Gabriel, St. Michael, St. Raphael. Their identifying symbols: Gabriel is holding a medallion of Mary and Jesus, Michael is standing on a demon he has subdued, and Raphael is standing on a fish, (a reference to his actions in the Book of Tobit).
3. My photo; the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass, Colorado.
4. Icon; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. (Notice the angels surrounding Our Lady and Jesus; He is attentive to the one to His left and Mary looks to the one on her right.) If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this beautiful icon in one of a number of mediums you can find it at fineartamerica.com/featured/our-lady-of-perpetual-help-318-william-hart-mcnichols.html
5. Painting; Flower Carrier by Diego Rivera. This is a wonderful example of the assistance given by a friend. (Or perhaps an angel in disguise?)
6. My photo; taken from the plane window as we were flying over the Alps crossing into Italy. 
​
Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

This week the National Eucharistic Congress is convening in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is, therefore, a perfect time to reflect anew upon the gift of the Body and Blood of Jesus which is made present in the Eucharist. I daresay that it is easy to take this miraculous, magnificent gift for granted since we are able to partake every day and can easily slip into a kind of routine attitude about it. True, this is in part due to our humanness, but it would be beneficial to spend time returning to what our faith teaches so that we can immerse in this mysterious gift of love. Sadly, there are many Catholics who do not understand, and as a result do not truly believe, that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Our response should be to pray that they would open their minds and hearts to understand, but also to evangelize and teach the truth when it becomes evident that an opportunity has arisen. Wherever we are in our spiritual lives, we have the gift of faith which operates even when we do not understand: it is with faith that we can believe and adore.​​* How bread and wine become Eucharist is an absolute mystery, and therefore it is beyond us, but we can look to the Last Supper for insight: Jesus provided His real presence from the moment He blessed, broke, and shared the bread, and it will be so until He returns at the end of time. Thus, we have access to this great gift always.

More evidence that the Eucharistic bread and wine is the true Body and Blood of Jesus is revealed in what took place on the road to Emmaus. After walking all day while their fellow traveler (Jesus) explained the Scriptures concerning the Messiah, the two disciples pressed Him to stay. It was when Jesus blessed, broke, and shared the bread, saying what He said at the Last Supper, that “their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.” However, Jesus immediately disappeared. There is a lot that can be said, but we must not fail to see that when His resurrected body disappeared, Jesus remained with them, fully, visibly present in the bread and wine. (Luke 24:13-35). The two disciples were so filled with joy that they ran all the way back to Jerusalem, even though it had taken them all day to walk to Emmaus. Once in Jerusalem, they declared what had taken place to the amazed, but ‘still-in-hiding,’ apostles. 

Unfortunately, long after the first century participation in the liturgy ‘shifted’ for reasons too long and complicated to explain here. But it came to be that for hundreds of years the laity could only watch the Eucharist being consecrated at Mass. Suffice it to say that when the Church moved into clericalism and there was little education in the faith for the laity, ordinary folks were only able to receive the Eucharist once a year at Easter. Eventually those in convents and monasteries could receive on Sundays and feast days, but not so for the rest of the laity. I am oversimplifying for the sake of brevity, but it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the Eucharist became something Catholics could receive weekly. This was due to the work of St. Pope Pius X who desired reception of Communion to be begun at ‘the age of reason,’ (7 years of age). He also promoted Catholic schools so that children would be taught the faith and therefore, greater understanding of the Eucharist would become part of the lives of Catholics. Given that it is relatively recent that what Jesus intended has been fully restored, we should not take for granted that if we so desire, we can receive this sacrament daily.**

During prayer a desire to see Jesus face to face may arise, a good and holy desire. It is helpful to utilize religious artwork and iconography to this end, but it is most likely that Jesus does not really look like any of these renditions. Jesus probably does not look like Jonathan Roumie either, great as his portrayal is.*** However, Mr. Roumie’s portrayal, as well as any other artistic depiction, can help our faith life quite powerfully; we do need them. But we must also keep in mind that we do see Jesus, that is, the real Jesus, any time we gaze upon the Eucharist. When we consume the Eucharist as Jesus said to do, communing with Him in prayer, it is more deeply intimate than seeing artistic renditions, helpful as they are. Again, the Eucharist provides a far deeper and more profound experience because Jesus really is present and what we see really is our Lord. Through His Real Presence Jesus can heal, console, inspire holiness in word and deed, and most importantly, He always immerses us in His love and mercy. 

During this Eucharistic year we can commit ourselves to renewal (or deepening) of our Eucharistic faith. At every Mass we can meditate on the words said by the priest while he consecrates the bread and wine; and again when he elevates the host and says, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Indeed, we are beholding the Lord Jesus in His glory, present there with all of us. Is there any gift greater than that? Would you want to be anywhere else but in the presence of Jesus? Certainly it is the safest, most beautiful place to be. Nothing compares and nothing can substitute for it. It is simply a foretaste of being with Jesus at the never-ending Heavenly banquet. Alleluia!

May we open our hearts anew to Jesus truly present in the Eucharist! May we offer gratitude and thanksgiving to Jesus for this great gift! And may we be bold and yet compassionate in sharing the truth of this great Sacrament with those who receive it without understanding and to those who are yet unknowing! Let us meet in the Eucharist! Peace!

​                        ©Michele L. Catanese

* Many know what the Eucharist actually is, but some may not simply because they never have been properly catechized; therefore here is a bit of a summary. The ‘how’ is beyond comprehension, but we do know the ‘when, where, what, and why’ of this sublime mystery. When: the simple elements of bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus at the consecration when the priest says the words of institution, having called upon the Father to send the Holy Spirit so the Son can be present. Where: at Mass, at which time we can receive the Eucharist bodily, but we can also worship the Lord during Eucharistic adoration when the consecrated host is made visible in the monstrance. What: the action we call transubstantiation takes place during the Eucharistic prayer at Mass. The elements of bread and wine change in substance into the real Body and Blood of Jesus which means that while it still looks, smells, feels, and tastes like bread and wine, in fact their reality has changed and they are now the Lord. Why: because the Lord loves us. He gave His life so that we might live, and His love is so great that He wants to be truly present with us until He returns at the Second Coming.

** St. Pope Pius X ‘rearranged’ the order of the reception of the sacraments of Confirmation and 1st Holy Communion: at that time Confirmation was received at the age of 7 and 1st Holy Communion took place in one's teens. He felt that Catholics should have access to the Body and Blood of Christ as soon as they could appreciate and understand the reality of the Sacrament. ~ This is also assuming one is a full member of the Catholic Church and is in the proper state to do so. (That is, has not committed mortal sin that is unconfessed.)

*** For those who do not know, Jonathan Roumie portrays Jesus in the series, The Chosen. In my opinion, his portrayal is one of the bestand is quite moving. I must also clarify that I am not suggesting that we should only imagine Jesus as a consecrated host when we are not present before the Eucharist. Seeing Him as a man in our prayer and reflection in the way which inspires us is, in fact, to be encouraged. My intended point is that He is indeed present in the Eucharist and we must never take that for granted.

Images:
1. My photo of a print (original is a painting); Chalice and Host by Jan Davidsz de Heem (1683 or 1684). This print was given to me as a gift; this is a cropped version of my photo.
2. Painting; The Pilgrims of Emmaüs on the Road (Les pèlerins d'Emmaus en chemin) by James Tissot (1886-1894)
3. My photo; the church and convent of St. Teresa of Avila, Avila Spain.
4. Image; The Galilean Jesus, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. To purchase a copy of this image (or any of Fr. Bill's icons) in a variety of mediums, you can find it at  ​https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-galilean-jesus-266-william-hart-mcnichols.html
5. My photo; taken in the highlands of Scotland. This photo reminded me of the spotless Lamb of God. Though the other sheep seems to be looking away, perhaps it is John the Baptist who is telling others, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
​6. My photo; waterfall in Scotland. The graces of God's mercy and love in the Eucharist are overflowing. 

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

During a trip to Sicily a few years ago we had the pleasure of touring some old churches in a small town called Ferla. The pastor of four of these churches was quite gracious in his welcome, and our time with him included a visit to a museum he had created which housed vestments, vessels, prayer books and other artifacts, several of which dated back hundreds of years. One of the artifacts was a press for making Eucharistic hosts, a device that resembled a waffle iron. Apparently these presses where heated over a fire, the Eucharistic bread mixture was poured onto it and the top plate was closed, instantly baking the dough into thin hosts which were imprinted with a crucifix. The hosts were ‘sealed’ with the sign of the One which they would actually become when a priest consecrated them at Mass. Recently I remembered this host-baking press while reading a verse from the Song of Songs in the Old Testament: “Set me as a seal on your heart.” (Song 8:6)* It seemed to me that this is something the Lord wants each of His children to hear Him say. Surely to have Jesus imprinted onto our hearts is what every Christian should desire. And that this is so, ought to fill us with gratitude and awe: the Lord of Heaven and Earth wants our hearts to be marked with His seal.

In June we reflected upon the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the month of July continues with a related theme in that this month is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus. Therefore, we can continue our reflection on His Sacred Heart as we pray about the Blood He poured out on the cross. Through this time, however, I suspect that thinking about an invitation from Him to set His seal on our heart has not been something we have considered. Jesus sealed Himself by His wounds, and through His death and resurrection offers us full and eternal life with God. Remember that when we were baptized we were sealed with chrism, an anointing which symbolizes that we are the adopted children of God; that is, through Baptism, our relationship with God changed and we became His in a deeper way. We were sealed with chrism again at our Confirmation; when the Bishop anointed us he said, “Be sealed with the Holy Spirit.”

Being sealed with the Lord on our heart requires a similar process. Our heart is like the bread dough, which means it must continually be worked and prepared. In other words, through the action of prayer and grace we must grow in our ability to discern and then respond to the call of the Lord, seeking to make His will our own. This requires time spent with Him not only in private prayer, but also in keeping our thoughts attuned to Him throughout the day. Like the bread dough, our heart will require kneading and baking; the Lord will smooth out the lumps, but it is in the fire that we are refined. However, this fire is the fire of His love and mercy in which we grow in holiness. Perhaps this is why in artistic renditions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus there are flames depicted atop His heart.** Thus, the imprint we seek on our heart is of the Cross, the flames, and the wounds through which His Precious Blood flowed, and the Blood itself, covering us with His protection as well as His mercy and love. 

Indeed we are sealed with chrism at Baptism and Confirmation, but to grow in a relationship of love with Jesus, we must respond to His desire to set His seal upon our heart. God never forces anything upon us, even His love, so to accept Jesus’ request means first and foremost that we desire to be totally His and allow Him to be at the center of our life. Bearing His seal helps with being ever mindful of His presence and love, living in this knowledge consciously and intentionally. It means that we desire to be purified by His love, aware of our need for His mercy; and it means the desire to do His will, then to actually seek it, to have the grace to actually live it, and to recognize our need for His mercy in the times we fall short. It means that we desire to be made holy because it is the only fitting way to live with His seal upon our hearts. To cultivate this disposition, to live His teaching as the kind of disciples we want to be, involves prayer and study of Scriptures; especially helpful is the Beatitudes and what flows from them in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount which contains everything we need to know about how to pray, how to forgive, and how to live the way of love through actions of humility, selflessness, service, kindness, and generosity. (Matthew 5-7) It means that we live as if the seal Jesus has set upon our hearts is visible to everyone, because in living this way, it actually is. 

Jesus wants to be the center of our lives. He desires our growth in holiness because He loves us in a way that is beyond imagining and therefore wants what is best for us. No matter how paltry we think our efforts are, no matter how small we think our gift is, our love is all we can give Him, and it is the only thing He really wants. Jesus died and rose to be totally ours; let us give Him the gift of our heart, letting Him set His seal upon it, and be totally His. 

May we let the Lord set His seal on our heart! May we grow in love for Jesus responding to Him in gratitude and praise! And may our lives be signs of the power and mercy of God! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                       ©Michele L. Catanese


​* The Song of Songs, sometimes referred to as the Song of Solomon, is not found in every version of the Bible. It belongs to a set of writings referred to as the Apocrypha. Many Christian Bibles omit these books; however they are found in Catholic versions with the additional books contained within the Wisdom Books and Historical Books, as well as a few parable-like stories that appear within the Book of Daniel in the Prophetic Books. In Protestant Bibles the books of the Apocrypha are grouped together and are placed after the end of the New Testament as a kind of addendum. The books of the Apocrypha are Tobit, Judith, Esther, Sirach, Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Ezra and parts of the Book of Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children, the Story of Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasseh). You can find an explanation at https://www.bartehrman.com/apocrypha/
** This is how St. Margaret Mary Alacoque described His heart in her visions. You can find good drawings and explanations of the Sacred Heart (and the Immaculate Heart of Mary) here: https://catholic-link.org/sacred-heart-immaculate-infographic/

Images:
1. My photo; iron press for baking Communion hosts. Ferla, Sicily, Italy. You can find a good  description of these implements here: https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/247675
2. Icon; La Sangre de Cristo by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find it at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/la-sangre-de-cristo-242-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. My photo; stained glass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
4. Painting; Church at Auvers-sur-Oise by Vincent van Gogh.
5. My photo; sunset over the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Vico Equense, Italy.
6. Stained glass; Amor Dei: Set Me as a Seal on Your Heart; window created by Mike Davies as part of the Danish Seamans' Memorial Window (2002) at Newcastle Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England; photo by Lawrence, O.P. https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/page98
 
Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.