Teresa and the mass

I was just sent a rather beautiful YouTube video entitled ‘Three Powerful Words that open heaven’.  It is a half-hour talk, very simple and very clear but also very moving, about St Teresa.  It focusses on her approach to the Eucharist, emphasising the importance for her of three words: Come, Receive, Remain.  We come bringing nothing but ourselves, in all our poverty, with all our failures and weaknesses, trusting in God’s mercy and forgivingness.  At the same time we come away from everything that keeps us from God.  We receive Christ into ourselves, letting Him enter deep within us and make His home in us.  Afterwards we remain in Him, we remain faithful to Him and He remains in us – irrespective of whether we are actually conscious of His presence or thinking about it.  In addition, to enter fully into the Eucharist we have to make an effort to prepare for it.  I must admit that I don’t like the melodramatic title of the video but I know that such titles are meant to be attention-grabbing.  I will however hang on to the three words come, receive, remain, as I ponder the meaning and the power of Holy Mass.

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Sue B, Theresa K, Fr Jon Bielowski

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS - housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mollie - panic attacks, depression