In an effort to extend the liturgies of the Church to the domestic church, that is, your own homes, I invite you to gather at the table or at the Christmas tree or manger scene and pray this as a family on New Year’s Eve.
Out of a loving desire for us to reach our eternal destination, he gives us his flesh and blood as food and drink for the journey. The destination is not just any land but the Kingdom of God. Nothing in this world can sustain us in the journey; only the living flesh and blood of God himself. Thus, only the Eucharist can bring us to our salvation. To deprive ourselves of the Eucharist is to make it impossible for us to reach the new Promised Land - Heaven.
This year is unique because the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve fall on the same day. This happens about every six or seven years, although a leap year might render the interval longer. Our Church teaches that Catholics are required to participate in the Holy Eucharist on Sundays and other Holy Days of Obligation.
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the only picture of Mary that we have directly from heaven. She miraculously appeared on the Tilma/cloak of St. Juan Diego in the presence of Bishop Zumarraga. In the Tilma, we see Mary as the Mother of God teaching us how to adore her Son. One can easily say that the Tilma is a catechesis on the spirituality of Eucharistic faith and devotion through the personal witness of Mary. Let us briefly detail a few things that Our Lady of Guadalupe is teaching us today.
The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas.