When I was very small, three years old, I went to school with my mother. She was a teacher at the Catholic school and I was looked after during the day by the school caretaker and his wife, a dinner lady at lunch time. Even though I was three years old, I was allowed because of me asking, to walk down the short school drive way into the Catholic church that stood at the end of the drive. These were the days when children did such crazy things! They knew I would return to the caretaker's house when I heard the school bell ring. I sat there day after day, week after week, month after month. My little legs dangling over my pew. I just chatted to Jesus every day. I instinctively knew somehow He was there. My mother, the teacher, took me to Mass on Sundays. Taught me about the faith as far as she thought me able to understand but she never taught me to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and just talk. That as a three year old I somehow just knew all by myself. I grew up, raised a family. Life has had it's good moments and many many hard moments. I have never left my faith always knowing Jesus is right with me, in the Blessed Sacrament. During my own professional life as a teacher when my children started school I would pay a visit daily before my day began to ask Jesus' blessing on my day and that of my children. Now I am 60. The past three months of not visiting the Blessed Sacrament each morning has been a great personal agony. Particularly as my youngest daughter lost her two week old baby Ignatius Angelo during lockdown. I cried silent tears of joy today to be back before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. I thank God for the gift of faith. I thank God for the gift of Jesus in the tabernacle. Praise be to God.
This is the best talk I have ever heard on visiting Jesus. I am going to visit him regularly to give Him love and thanksgiving. Thank you so much Father.
Thank you Father Stephen. We are once again in lockdown, and it was so lovely to be taken with you into that closeness before the Sacrament. I too am a convert. May I tell you something quite wonderful. I had a scary appointment and the hospital some years ago. My brother, who was then a Methodist, came with me. We were walking, and on our way back we went into the Cathedral where I'd been recently received. I knelt before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and felt Him, and His love so keenly, and wished so much that my brother could feel this too. After we came out, and were quite a way down the road towards my home, he said to me 'You know, when we were in that church of yours, I had the strangest experience. It was as if Jesus was reaching out to me from the Tabernacle.' Soon afterwards my brother began instruction, and is now with us in faith, and extremely aware of Our Lord in the Tabernacle. Our Lord took my heartfelt wish, as a prayer, and answered so richly.
Thank you Fr Stephen, your talk is just perfect in your gentle ways to explain, how you can talk to help but not be casual. Wish this can be mentioned gently now and then to the community. YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS. GOD BLESS x Mel
You really gave me food for thought and i even feel a little ashamed that I haven’t always shown the respect due Him - I aim to change that so thank you!
I am a daily Mass attendant and I always long to spend time in adoration, before and after Mass but most often I fall asleep or a weep and sometimes nothing.
Till such time when it is really safe for people like us who suffer ill health, we can pray in front of the BLESSED SACRAMENT at home, is that okay dear Fr Stephen
You have spoken the truth and I agree with you whole heartedly but will point out that it also saddens me greatly when Jesus is there all on his at Church. Why? Well for what it is worth, it does not help that very few priests talk about the real presence like you have done. It does not help that parishioners are not encouraged to reverence our Lord in the most Blessed Sacrament when they enter church. It does not help when parishioners make a lot of noise by chatting and causing a distraction. If one shows any reverence and one devoutly prays one is accused of being “holier than thou”. It does not help when parishioners are not encouraged to kneel and receive communion in the tongue. It is not a biscuit, it is the Body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ present in that host. It does not help that most churches outside London are locked. (I am blessed because I have a key and was able to go into my church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament). If you go often to pray one is accused not only of being holier than thou but one is also accused of using God as a crutch for one’s own troubles and accused of being pre Vatican II. Those I have seen who really are quite reverent and really know in their hearts of hearts that Jesus is really present in the tabernacle are the some of the minorities, and some who attend the Tridentine Latin Masses. What an example they have been to me. Neither have I heard much about receiving communion in a state of grace, although in some churches have pointed out this importance . In my own personal opinion Novus Ordo did not help. Nothing happens for nothing. Sometimes history repeats itself. Who knows. Let us hope that that there has been a change of hearts to the most beautiful gift we could ever have received.
The bishops and the pope fails us closing the churches during pandemic . God say feed my sheep to Peter 3 times ( he did not said unless it’s a pandemic) they were more worried about the body than the soul . Jesus said he who look to save his life will lose it !
When I was very small, three years old, I went to school with my mother. She was a teacher at the Catholic school and I was looked after during the day by the school caretaker and his wife, a dinner lady at lunch time. Even though I was three years old, I was allowed because of me asking, to walk down the short school drive way into the Catholic church that stood at the end of the drive. These were the days when children did such crazy things! They knew I would return to the caretaker's house when I heard the school bell ring.
I sat there day after day, week after week, month after month. My little legs dangling over my pew. I just chatted to Jesus every day. I instinctively knew somehow He was there. My mother, the teacher, took me to Mass on Sundays. Taught me about the faith as far as she thought me able to understand but she never taught me to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and just talk. That as a three year old I somehow just knew all by myself.
I grew up, raised a family. Life has had it's good moments and many many hard moments.
I have never left my faith always knowing Jesus is right with me, in the Blessed Sacrament.
During my own professional life as a teacher when my children started school I would pay a visit daily before my day began to ask Jesus' blessing on my day and that of my children.
Now I am 60.
The past three months of not visiting the Blessed Sacrament each morning has been a great personal agony. Particularly as my youngest daughter lost her two week old baby Ignatius Angelo during lockdown.
I cried silent tears of joy today to be back before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.
I thank God for the gift of faith.
I thank God for the gift of Jesus in the tabernacle.
Praise be to God.
Thanks for your beautiful testimony Julie, and I'm so sorry to hear about Ignatius Angelo - I'm praying for him and all the family...
Have a blessed Easter Father🙏✝️⛪️
My godmother has this gift. I can feel the power of the lord. And I am here for the lord.
Thank you Fr. Stephen! God bless you always,
This is the best talk I have ever heard on visiting Jesus. I am going to visit him regularly to give Him love and thanksgiving. Thank you so much Father.
When I enter the church I smile at Jesus in the tabernacle. When we smile at someone they return our smile. A smile from Jesus is worth so much
Thanks Fr stephen what a wonderful talk
Thank you Father Stephen. We are once again in lockdown, and it was so lovely to be taken with you into that closeness before the Sacrament. I too am a convert. May I tell you something quite wonderful. I had a scary appointment and the hospital some years ago. My brother, who was then a Methodist, came with me. We were walking, and on our way back we went into the Cathedral where I'd been recently received. I knelt before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and felt Him, and His love so keenly, and wished so much that my brother could feel this too. After we came out, and were quite a way down the road towards my home, he said to me 'You know, when we were in that church of yours, I had the strangest experience. It was as if Jesus was reaching out to me from the Tabernacle.' Soon afterwards my brother began instruction, and is now with us in faith, and extremely aware of Our Lord in the Tabernacle. Our Lord took my heartfelt wish, as a prayer, and answered so richly.
Thanks for sharing this Caroline - I'll pray for your brother...
@@PauseforFaithThank you Fr. Is this only about Jesus in the Tabernacle or even Jesus in a monstrance in an Adoration Chapel?
Thank you Fr Stephen, your talk is just perfect in your gentle ways to explain, how you can talk to help but not be casual. Wish this can be mentioned gently now and then to the community. YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS. GOD BLESS x Mel
You really gave me food for thought and i even feel a little ashamed that I haven’t always shown the respect due Him - I aim to change that so thank you!
I am a daily Mass attendant and I always long to spend time in adoration, before and after Mass but most often I fall asleep or a weep and sometimes nothing.
Till such time when it is really safe for people like us who suffer ill health, we can pray in front of the BLESSED SACRAMENT at home, is that okay dear Fr Stephen
You have spoken the truth and I agree with you whole heartedly but will point out that it also saddens me greatly when Jesus is there all on his at Church. Why? Well for what it is worth, it does not help that very few priests talk about the real presence like you have done. It does not help that parishioners are not encouraged to reverence our Lord in the most Blessed Sacrament when they enter church. It does not help when parishioners make a lot of noise by chatting and causing a distraction. If one shows any reverence and one devoutly prays one is accused of being “holier than thou”. It does not help when parishioners are not encouraged to kneel and receive communion in the tongue. It is not a biscuit, it is the Body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ present in that host. It does not help that most churches outside London are locked. (I am blessed because I have a key and was able to go into my church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament). If you go often to pray one is accused not only of being holier than thou but one is also accused of using God as a crutch for one’s own troubles and accused of being pre Vatican II. Those I have seen who really are quite reverent and really know in their hearts of hearts that Jesus is really present in the tabernacle are the some of the minorities, and some who attend the Tridentine Latin Masses. What an example they have been to me. Neither have I heard much about receiving communion in a state of grace, although in some churches have pointed out this importance . In my own personal opinion Novus Ordo did not help. Nothing happens for nothing. Sometimes history repeats itself. Who knows. Let us hope that that there has been a change of hearts to the most beautiful gift we could ever have received.
The bishops and the pope fails us closing the churches during pandemic . God say feed my sheep to Peter 3 times ( he did not said unless it’s a pandemic) they were more worried about the body than the soul . Jesus said he who look to save his life will lose it !