Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Footsteps of Jesus Seminary
and Harvestime Bible Academy
REM
The altar crucifix is not a decoration. It is a theological anchor placed at the very heart of the altar—where sacrifice, presence, and remembrance meet.
Before every word is spoken, before every prayer is lifted, the Crucifix already speaks.
It does not argue.
It does not explain.
It simply reveals:
Love poured out.
Here, at the altar, we do not remember a distant moment.
We stand at the foot of the Crucifixion of Jesus—
where mercy was opened,
where the Heart of Christ was given without reserve.
The wood of the Cross and the table of the altar are one mystery:
sacrifice and offering,
death and life,
silence and the eternal Word.
And beside the Cross, unseen yet ever present, stands the Mother—
Mary, Mother of Jesus—
teaching us how to remain, how to receive, how to believe.
In every Eucharist,
What is lifted is not only bread and wine,
But the whole offering of Christ Himself.
And we are invited—quietly, freely—
to place our own lives there as well:
our burdens,
our wounds,
our hidden prayers.
Nothing is too small to be united
to so great a Love.
So we look upon the Crucifix…
And we learn again:
not how to speak,
But how to give?
The Altar Crucifix: What we know, and why it matters.
Lord, I offer You this day.
My thoughts, my words, my actions—
united to the Eucharist.
Walk with us today.
Saint James the Less,
close to the Lord, hidden yet faithful,
You stood among the brethren in prayer,
not seeking prominence,
but remaining near to Christ and His Mother.
Pray for me,
that I may be steadfast in quiet devotion,
rooted in humility and perseverance.
With you, I choose to stay in the Upper Room—
until the Spirit renews my life.
Through Mary,
lead me always to Jesus.
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Your disciples waited together in one accord,
Unite my heart with your Church.
Remove division, impatience, and self-reliance.
As the Apostles gathered with Mary,
teach me to remain,
not to rush ahead,
but to trust in your timing.
May my prayer become faithful,
even when nothing seems to move.
Amen.
🌿 Day 1 — May 1
Entering with Mary
Mary, Mother of Jesus,
Mother of the Church,
You who gathered the Apostles in silence and hope,
Teach me to enter the Upper Room of my heart.
Remove distraction, quiet my fears,
and help me to remain in prayer.
As this month of May begins,
I place myself beside you.
Let my soul learn stillness.
Let my heart learn trust.
Amen.
✠ Marie of the Incarnation — A Flame Across the Ocean
April 30 — Memorial (Canada)
There are souls whom God sends not only to pray… but to build.
Marie of the Incarnation was one of them.
A mother, a widow, a mystic, and a missionary
She crossed the ocean from France to the wild lands of New France,
not seeking comfort, but offering her whole life
for the education of souls and the glory of Christ.
In the silence of her heart, she lived a profound union with God.
In the noise of the world, she founded schools, formed young girls,
and planted the seeds of faith in a new land.
She is called the Mother of the Canadian Church,
Yet her greatness was hidden in humility, obedience, and love.
She teaches us:
— that contemplation does not flee the world, but transforms it
— that mission is born first in union with God
— that even across oceans, the heart can remain anchored in Christ
“My soul is in a continual union with God.”
— Marie of the Incarnation
Today, we remember:
Not just a founder…
but a soul entirely consumed by divine love.
🔥 May her fire awaken ours.
REM
One of four New France Supper Women
Marie of the Incarnation OSU was a French Ursuline nun from Quebec City. As part of a group of nuns sent to New France to establish the Ursuline Order, Marie played a crucial role in the spread of Catholicism there. She was a religious author and has been credited with founding the first girls’ school in the New World.
When Marie was seven years old, she recounted her first mystical encounter with Jesus Christ. In her book Relation, of 1654, she recounted: “…with my eyes toward heaven, I saw our Lord Jesus Christ in human form come forth and move through the air to me. As Jesus, in his wondrous majesty, was approaching me, I felt my heart enveloped by his love, and I began to extend my arms to embrace him. Then he put his arms about me, kissed me lovingly, and said, ‘Do you wish to belong to me?’ I answered, ‘Yes!’ And having received my consent, he ascended back into Heaven (Source: Wikipedia)
Hidden in the silence of your day,
a Hail Mary rises…
soft as breath,
light as a falling petal.
And yet
Heaven receives it
as something more.
Like the little flowers gathered by Francis of Assisi,
No offering is too small
When it is given in love.
Somewhere, others are praying too…
But you do not yet see the rose.
Soon, you will. https://franciscanseucharist.com/a-crown-of-prayer-petal-by-petal/
Louis Marie de Montfort was a French Roman Catholic priest, preacher, and writer, best known for his passionate devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his influential spiritual works. Born in 1673 in Montfort-sur-Meu, France, he dedicated his life to missionary work and promoting Marian devotion, especially through the practice of consecration to Jesus through Mary.
De Montfort’s most famous book, “True Devotion to Mary,” has inspired millions worldwide and remains a cornerstone of Marian spirituality. He also founded the Company of Mary (the Montfort Missionaries) and the Daughters of Wisdom, religious congregations dedicated to service and spiritual growth.
Known for his humility, zeal, and deep love for the poor, Louis-Marie de Montfort was canonized a saint in 1947. His teachings emphasize total surrender to God through Mary, trusting in her powerful intercession and maternal care. Today, his legacy lives on in the spiritual practices of countless believers and in the enduring relevance of his writings.
In Ottawa, the Vanier sector has a hospital dedicated to Monfort.
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
|---|---|
| Beatified | 1888 by Pope Leo XIII |
| Canonized | 20 July 1947 by Pope Pius XII |
| Feast | 28 April |
Total consecration to Jesus through Mary
We use his directive for our consecration to Mary, also:
The week following Easter Sunday is primarily known as Bright Week in Eastern Christianity and the Octave of Easter (or Easter Week) in the Roman Catholic tradition. It is considered a continuous, joyous celebration of the Resurrection, often treated as one long, “bright” day.
Easter altar linens are traditionally white or gold, symbolizing joy, purity, and the Resurrection. Key items include white fair linens, often featuring embroidered lilies, crosses, or “Alleluia” motifs. High-quality fabrics like linen, damask, or polyester/cotton blends are common, often adorned with lace, fringe, or gold thread to enhance the celebratory atmosphere. It covers the sacristy dresser, the Altar, the prayer bench, the lectern and the pulpit.
(Source Google AI)
January 25, 2026
King’s Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one, is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is an 828-kilometre-long (514 mi) freeway, travelling from Windsor in the west to the Ontario–Quebec border in the east (west of Montreal). The part of Highway 401 that passes through Toronto is North America’s busiest highway, and one of the widest in Canada. Together with Autoroute 20 (A-20), it forms the road transportation backbone of the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor, along which over half of Canada’s population resides. It is also a Core Route in Canada’s National Highway System. The route is maintained by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). The speed limit is 100 km/h (62 mph) throughout the majority of its length, with the remaining exceptions being the posted 80-kilometre-per-hour (50 mph) limit westbound in Windsor, in most construction zones, and the 110-kilometre-per-hour (68 mph) speed limit on the 40-kilometre (25 mi) stretch between Windsor and Tilbury that was raised on April 22, 2022, the 7-kilometre (4.3 mi) extension east of the aforementioned, the 35-kilometre (22 mi) stretch between Highway 35 / 115 and Cobourg, the 44-kilometre (27 mi) stretch between Colborne and Belleville, the 66-kilometre (41 mi) stretch between Belleville and Kingston, and the 107-kilometre (66 mi) stretch between Highway 16 and the east end of the freeway that were raised on July 12, 2024.
By the end of 1952, three individual highways were numbered Highway 401: the partially completed Toronto Bypass between Weston Road and Highway 11 (Yonge Street); Highway 2A between West Hill and Newcastle; and the Scenic Highway between Gananoque and Brockville, now known as the “Thousand Islands Parkway”. These three sections of highway were 11.8, 54.7, and 41.2 kilometres (7.3, 34.0, and 25.6 mi), respectively. In 1964, the route became fully navigable from Windsor to the Ontario–Quebec border. In January 1965, it was renamed the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway in honour of two Fathers of Confederation. At the end of 1968, the Gananoque–Brockville section was bypassed and the final intersection grade-separated near Kingston, making Highway 401 a freeway for its entire 817.9-kilometre (508.2 mi) length. In August 2007, a portion of Highway 401 between Trenton and Toronto was designated as the Highway of Heroes, as the route is travelled by funeral convoys for fallen Canadian Forces personnel from CFB Trenton to the coroner’s office in Toronto.
Highway 401 previously ended at Highway 3 (Talbot Road) upon entering Windsor. In 2011, construction began on a westward extension called the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway (formerly Windsor-Essex Parkway). This extension runs parallel to Highway 3 (Talbot Road and Huron Church Road) between the former end of the freeway and the E.C. Row Expressway, where it turns and runs alongside the E.C. Row towards the future Gordie Howe International Bridge. An 8-kilometre (5.0 mi) section of the parkway, east of the E. C. Row interchange, opened to traffic on June 28, 2015, with the remaining section completed and opened on November 21. The widening of the highway between Highway/Regional Road 8 in Kitchener and Townline Road in Cambridge to at least ten lanes was completed on December 22, 2023. There are plans underway to widen the remaining four-lane sections between Windsor and London to six lanes and to widen the route between Cambridge and Milton, as well as through Ajax, Whitby, and Oshawa. The expansive twelve-plus-lane collector–express system through Pickering and Toronto, and partially across Mississauga, was extended west to Milton in December 2022
That is a very easy question. First, the Franciscan tunic doesn’t have to be brown. While brown is the most common colour for Franciscan habits today, various Franciscan communities wear different colours. Grey: Historically, early Franciscans in England. Black or Light Grey (Conventual Franciscans): The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv.) Black: Adopted by many Conventuals during the French Revolution. Light Grey: Commonly worn by Conventual friars in East Africa, Grey-Blue: The Franciscans of the Immaculate (FI). Franciscan sisters, particularly in orders such as the Franciscans of the Immaculate, often wear gray-blue habits, while some other Franciscan communities may wear gray or white. (Source for Franciscan habit colours: Google AI), Also, you can look for Casey Cole’s YouTube Video on the matter: “Breaking In The Habit ‘Why Are There So Many Different Franciscans?'”
Second: For me or us, you can refer to two pages, Franciscan Life and The Blue Mantle page for the story. On the Franciscan Life page, it is noted that within Eric Michel Ministries International, the Franciscan vocation is expressed through three complementary Third Orders: two Franciscans and a Benedictine. Unfortunately, the Benedictine lost its prior, and the group was embryonic, so for the moment, it is on pause.
The TOFI wear a white tunic with a blue scapular and a blue mantle, a liturgical garment that covers only the shoulders and back, ties at the front, and bears an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the left side.
In the picture, the mantle is replaced by a chasuble for the celebration of Mass.
Have a Blessed week!
Peace and All Good
The Armour of God is a metaphor from the Bible (Ephesians 6:10-18) for spiritual protection, representing six key spiritual virtues and practices for Christians to use in spiritual battles: the Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God). It’s depicted using Roman soldiers’ equipment to illustrate how believers can stand firm against evil through God’s strength.
The Six Pieces of the Armour:
How to “Put It On”:
Believers are encouraged to actively put on this armour daily through:
Prayer: Communicating with God and asking for His help.
Knowing Scripture: Meditating on and applying God’s Word (the Sword).
Living Righteously: Choosing truth and Righteousness in daily actions.
It’s a call to be spiritually prepared, relying on God’s power to withstand challenges and stand firm against spiritual forces of evil.
The phrase “Armour of God” (Ancient Greek: πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, panoplian tou Theou) is derived from Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (King James Version). As a biblical reference, the metaphor may refer to physical armour worn by God in metaphorical battles, or it may refer to vigilant Righteousness in general as bestowed by the grace of God (Romans 13:12, King James Version): “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” In Islam, the concept of spiritual armour is best represented by Taqwa (God-consciousness/piety),
The Apostle Paul wrote Ephesians while under house arrest around 61 and 63 CE. Ephesians was not initially addressed to the Church of Ephesians but rather “to the holy ones who are faithful in Christ Jesus”. This was later changed to say “to the holy ones in Ephesus who are faithful in Christ Jesus”. In Chapter 6:10 -18, Apostle Paul focuses on the idea of believers and members of the Church resisting evil and keeping firm in their faith. In these verses, Paul instructs the Church to put on the whole Armour of God to prepare for the spiritual battle coming against Satan and his wiles; however, Scholars have different interpretations of what this means. Some believe that the Armour of God referred to is the same spiritual armour he and his messiah wore in battle. In contrast, others believe the Armour is Christ himself and equipping oneself would be to metaphorically “put on Christ himself”.
The following biblical texts in Ephesians chapter 6 mention six pieces of armour:
These pieces are described in Ephesians as follows:
Helmet of Salvation, breastplate of Righteousness, belt/girdle of truth (loins girt with truth), shoes of peace (feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace), shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit/word of God.
The helmet of Salvation and the breastplate of Righteousness also appear in Isaiah 59:17
The New Testament employs several military metaphors in discussing Christianity, especially in the Pauline epistles.
In Philippians 2:25 and Philemon 1:2, Paul describes fellow Christians as “fellow soldiers” (in Greek, συστρατιώτῃ, sustratiōtē). The image of a soldier is also used in 2 Timothy 2:3–4 as a metaphor for courage, loyalty and dedication; this is followed by the metaphor of an athlete, emphasizing hard work. In 1 Corinthians 9:7, this image is used in a discussion of church workers receiving payment, with a metaphorical reference to a soldier’s rations and expenses.
Ephesians 6:10–18 discusses faith, righteousness, and other elements of Christianity as the armour of God, and John Bunyan echoes this imagery in The Pilgrim’s Progress, as do many other Christian writers.
Related imagery appears in hymns such as “Soldiers of Christ, Arise” and “Onward, Christian Soldiers.”
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Brothers and sisters,
Today, we celebrate Saint Mark, the Evangelist who gives us a Gospel that moves with urgency. From the very first line, he does not delay: “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ.” Mark invites us immediately into action.
He was not one of the Twelve, yet he walked closely with Saint Peter, learning from his witness, absorbing the living memory of Christ. What Mark received, he did not keep—he proclaimed.
His Gospel shows us a Jesus who is always on the move: healing the sick, lifting the fallen, calling disciples. There is a sense of immediacy—now is the time, the Kingdom is at hand.
And this is the challenge for us today.
The Gospel is not only something we study.
It is something we live.
Mark’s symbol, the lion, cries out in the wilderness—a voice that cannot be ignored. In our own world, filled with distractions and hesitation, we are called to have that same clarity and courage.
To follow Christ without delay.
To serve without counting the cost.
To proclaim not only with words, but with our lives.
So today, let us ask for the grace of Saint Mark:
that we may become people of action,
people of conviction,
people who carry the Gospel into the world.
Saint Mark the Evangelist, pray for us.
Mark the Evangelist, also known as John Mark or Saint Mark, was a Libyan who is traditionally ascribed the authorship of the Gospel of Mark. Most modern scholars agree that the Gospel of Mark is anonymous, though the topic remains contentious among experts. Scholarship is inconclusive on authorship; some reject the attribution to Mark, while others debate the identity of Mark. According to Church tradition, Mark founded the episcopal see of Alexandria, which was one of the five most important sees of early Christianity. His feast day is celebrated on April 25, and his symbol is the winged lion.
✠ Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
Today, we celebrate Saint Mark, the faithful companion, the attentive listener, the one who gave us a Gospel that moves swiftly like the heartbeat of mission
Mark does not linger in long speeches, he proclaims.
He does not decorate, he reveals.
He shows us Christ in action: healing, calling, saving.
Tradition tells us he walked alongside Saint Peter, absorbing the fire of apostolic witness, and carried that flame into the written word so that all generations might encounter Jesus.
His symbol, the lion, roars in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord.”
In a world filled with noise, Saint Mark reminds us:
👉 The Gospel is not meant to be admired from afar
👉 It is meant to be lived, proclaimed, and embodied
Like Mark, may we become:
• Quick to respond to God’s call
• Courageous in mission
• Faithful in witness
“Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
Today, let us not only read the Gospel
Let us become living pages of it.
Saint Mark the Evangelist, pray for us
I was always fascinated by the Jerusalem Cross. The first time I saw it was on my Wolfe Cub uniform at 9 years old; today, it is the history and the links of that cross that create something in my mind. And of course, as a Franciscan of the Third Order (OFS), I have communication with the American Franciscans of the Holy Land.
The Jerusalem cross (also known as “five-fold cross”, or “cross-and-crosslets” and the “Crusader’s cross”) is a heraldic cross and Christian cross variant consisting of a large cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses, one in each quadrant, representing the Four Evangelists and the spread of the gospel to the four corners of the Earth (metaphor for the whole Earth). It was used as the coat of arms of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem after 1099. Use of the Jerusalem Cross by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and affiliated organizations in Jerusalem continue to the present. Other modern usages include on the national flag of Georgia, and the Episcopal Church Service Cross and as a symbol used by some white supremacist and Christian nationalist groups.
According to Father David Grenier, a Catholic priest and member of the religious order, the Holy Land Franciscan Friars, which uses the Jerusalem Cross as its symbol, the cross originated in Eastern Christianity sometime in the fifth and sixth centuries and was later adopted by crusaders and the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099 to 1291. The symbolism of the five-fold cross is variously given as the five holy wounds, Christ and the four evangelists, or Christ and the four quarters of the world. The symbolism of five crosses representing the Five Wounds is first recorded in the context of the consecration of St. Brelade’s Church under the patronage of Robert of Normandy (before 1035); the crosses are incised in the church’s altar stone.
The “cross-and-crosslets” or Tealby pennies minted under Henry II of England during 1158–1180 have the “Jerusalem cross” on the obverse, with the four crosslets depicted as decussate (diagonal). Similar cross designs on coin obverses date back to at least the Anglo-Saxon period.
The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem is traditionally attributed to Godfrey of Bouillon himself. It was not, however, used by the Christian rulers of Jerusalem during the 12th century. A simple blazon of or, a cross argent is documented by Matthew Paris as the coat of arms of John of Brienne, who had been king of Jerusalem during 1210–1212, upon John’s death in 1237.
The emblem used on the seals of the rulers of Jerusalem during the 12th century was a simplified depiction of the city itself, showing the tower of David between the Dome of the Rock and the Holy Sepulchre, surrounded by the city walls. Coins minted under Henry II of Champagne (r. 1192–1197) show a cross with four dots in the four quarters, but the Jerusalem cross proper appears only on a coin minted under John I of Cyprus (r. 1284–1285).
At about the same time, the cross of Jerusalem in gold on a silver field appears as the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in early armorials such as the Camden Roll. The coat of arms of the king of Jerusalem featured gold on silver (in the case of John de Brienne, silver on gold), a metal on a metal, and thus broke the heraldic Rule of Tincture; this was justified by the fact that Jerusalem was so holy, it was above ordinary rules. The gold and silver were also connected to Psalms 68:13, which mentions a “dove covered in silver, and her feathers with yellow gold”.
The Gelre Armorial (14th century) attributes to the “emperors of Constantinople” (the Latin Empire) a variant of the Jerusalem cross with the four crosslets inscribed in circles. Philip of Courtenay, who held the title of Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1273–1283 (even though Constantinople had been reconquered by the Byzantine Empire in 1261), used an extended form of the Jerusalem cross, where each of the four crosslets was itself surrounded by four smaller crosslets (a “Jerusalem cross of Jerusalem crosses”).
Error: St Canut should be St Constant
When I (Tim Sullivan) ask myself where the Mass is in the Bible, my mind goes to Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 24.
On Easter Sunday, three days after Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, and before He appeared to the eleven, Jesus walked beside two disciples on the road to Emmaus. What follows resembles the celebration of the Mass.
Jesus began with the Liturgy of the Word: “Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them what referred to Him in all the Scriptures.” (LK 24:27) On their long walk, Jesus goes through what we hear in a three-year cycle of the Scripture readings at Sunday Mass.
Then the three sit at the table, and Jesus celebrates the Liturgy of the Eucharist: “He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him.” (LK 24:30-31)
When I reflect on this, I see this confirming that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. The two disciples did not recognize Jesus’ Real Presence with them until they received the Eucharist!
After the completion of the Mass in Emmaus, the two disciples’ hearts were on fire. They set out at once and returned to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven and those with them gathered together. “Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (LK 24:33)
Now, Mass closes with the people in the congregation being sent. The common words used in our parish are: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”
Jesus’ action of celebrating Mass only a few hours after His resurrection confirms the vital importance of the Mass – and establishes the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of our faith!!
Bible Verse References To Understand The Mass
Opening blessing (Sign of the Cross) — Mt 28:19
Apostolic greeting — 2 Cor 13:13
Penitential Act (“Lord, have mercy”) — Mt 20:30–31; Ps 123:3
Gloria — Lk 2:14
Responsorial Psalm — Ps 136:1–3
Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia) — Rev 19:1–6; Tob 13:18
Preparation of the Gifts — Ps 116:12–13
Invitation to Prayer (“Pray, brethren…”) — Ps 50:14; Rom 12:1
Preface Dialogue (“Lift up your hearts”) — Lam 3:41
Sanctus (“Holy, Holy, Holy”) — Is 6:3; Rev 4:8; Mt 21:9; Ps 118:26
Institution Narrative (Consecration) — 1 Cor 11:23–26; Mt 26:26–28; Mk 14:22–24; Lk 22:19–20
Memorial Acclamation — 1 Cor 11:26
Great Amen (Doxology response) — Rev 5:13–14
The Lord’s Prayer — Mt 6:9–13
Sign of Peace (“Peace be with you”) — Jn 14:27; Jn 20:19
Fraction Rite / Lamb of God — Jn 1:29; Rev 5:6
Invitation to Communion (“Behold the Lamb of God… Blessed are those called…”) — Rev 19:9
Act of Humility (“Lord, I am not worthy…”) — Mt 8:8
Dismissal (“Go in peace”) — Lk 7:50
Response (“Thanks be to God”) — 2 Cor 9:15
The Catholic Mass follows a structured progression designed to prepare the faithful to encounter Christ and conclude with their dismissal into the world.
The Mass begins with preparatory rites in which the community readies itself to meet Christ in Scripture and the Eucharist.[1] A procession enters while music plays, followed by the priest kissing the altar.[1] The priest then greets the assembly in the name of the Holy Trinity.[1] A penitential rite follows, allowing the community to confess sins and be cleansed so they can fully open themselves to Christ in both Scripture and the Eucharist.[1] The Gloria—a hymn of praise and thanksgiving—draws participants into God’s mysteries and prepares them to receive His Word.[1] An opening prayer concludes these introductory rites, addressed to the Father through Jesus in the Holy Spirit.[1]
The liturgy then moves into the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Eucharistic Prayer represents the most solemn moment, when bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ and offered as sacrifice.[1] The Preface prepares for this transformation, inviting the community to lift their hearts in thanksgiving to the Father through the Son.[1] The priest invokes the Holy Spirit over the gifts and pronounces Christ’s words—“This is my Body” and “This is the chalice of my Blood”—making the Eucharist present.[1] The Our Father follows, succeeded by a petition for freedom from anxiety and evil.[1] Before receiving Communion, the assembly exchanges a sign of peace and unity.[1] The service concludes with a blessing, a sending song, and dismissal.[2]
[1] Lucas R. Pollice, Open Wide the Doors to Christ: Discovering Catholicism (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2013), 245–249.
[2] Clayton J. Schmit, Sent and Gathered: A Worship Manual for the Missional Church, Engaging Worship (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2009), 199
Text Source: Verbum by Logos
The answer is simple.
Yes, I do have an altar, but my chapel is within my living room. Because of this, the altar is not always in view. Most of the time, I gently wheel it aside to create space, especially when members gather for Bible study or when I offer a homily.
In this way, the space remains both sacred and practical, ready to serve the needs of prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
The altar is always present… even when it is not always seen
The Altar was wheeled into the dining room, and the dining set was donated to the St. Joseph Thrift Store.
