The church in Jerusalem is celebrating the solemnity of the Corpus Domini. We take the opportunity to meet various churches in the Holy Land who promote adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
On Thursday 31 May, after the solemn entry into the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and the prayer of praise, the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa presided over the Mass of Corpus Domini.
The solemn liturgy was concelebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and the Apostolic Delegate for Jerusalem and Palestine, Mgr Leopoldo Girelli, and among others, by Bishops Kamal Bathish and Giacinto Boulos Marcuzzo, who also commemorated their 25th year of the episcopate.
H.E. Mgr GIACINTO-BOLOUS MARCUZZO
Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine
“The Eucharist is our whole life and it is beautiful that Jesus really is with us. He said: I will be with you always until the end of the world. It is the most beautiful thing for us priests, ministers of the Lord, to celebrate with the Lord, for Him and with Him “.
“Even in our days when speed and the “immediately and now” are apparently a social conquest – underlined Mgr Pizzaballa in his homily – The Eucharist remains a mystery requiring time, acceptance and understanding.”
The Apostolic Administrator then went on to explain how “The mystery of the Eucharist gradually enters our lives in an ever deeper and more intense way and forms our way of thinking, living and praying”.
H.E. Mgr PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA, ofm
Apostolic Administrator, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
“This daily partaking of food, this daily familiarity with the Eucharistic Bread, with Jesus Himself Who is love, gradually forms our thinking into daily growth, to a taste for expectation that is also filled by all our efforts and where our life becomes a free gift. This is what the Eucharist calls us to be “.
As Pope Francis says: “The Eucharist makes us strong so as to bear fruits of good works and live as true Christians”. We must therefore always be close to Jesus in the Eucharist.
Here in the Holy Land there are many initiatives that promote this closeness.
In Jerusalem, for example, at the Notre Dame Pontifical Institute, every day is a day of adoration!
Br JOSÉ ALONSO, lc
Head of Pastoral Care and Spiritual Director
“I am very happy to be the chaplain of this church which daily exposes the Blessed Sacrament. Little by little people start coming to church to pray, because they know that there always is this Eucharistic hour at Notre Dame. They pray and remain silent: as priests we do not preach, we do not say any devotion or prayer, but let people stay there to pray for their needs and their intentions. It is admirable to see people’s faith! ”
Entering the Old City, along the Via Dolorosa, at the Fourth Station marking the meeting of Jesus with his mother, is the Armenian Catholic Church. Here too pilgrims and local Christians have the opportunity to stand before God.
Sister GABRIELLA
Pious Disciple of the Divine Master
“In this three times holy city, adoration finds its ideal habitat. It is beautiful that after His historical presence, there is the continuity of His invisible but equally true, strong presence and of which men and women of today, the world of today, the holy city is particularly in need of. We pray for peace, above all “.
Moving to Galilee, northern Israel, we come to Nazareth, where next to the Basilica of the Annunciation another initiative allows the faithful to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Rev. JEAN MARIE BOUCARY, mcc
Missionaries of Charities Contemplative Brothers
“We have already worshipped on the Sabbath, but as Jesus says,”If you have a lantern, why hide it under a table? Put it on the lamp-stand, so that those who enter may see the light! ” Jesus the Eucharist is the Church, who is not just for us, it is for everyone! So we have this place, this chapel where everyone is invited to come and worship with us! “