Mister Berns

My Thoughts...Straight Out of the Box!

01 February 2007

Tickets, trains and time with Jesus

Missed my train to work this morning...I admit it was my fault though. I forgot to buy my weekly ticket before my other one expired so I was standing at the machine while my train pulled in, and of course it sat there for longer than usual (just to make me think I'd make it) and just as the ticket popped out of the machine, the doors shut and my 8.18am tooted off. I did consider banging on the doors like a madman but decided against it and read my book for my current essay while I looked at this sight for 15 minutes,

BTW The book I was reading today for the essay is Hail Holy Queen by Scott Hahn and it is an excellent book! It is a really easy read, I have just about finished it but it is packed full of scriptural insights as to why Mary is the Mother of all people who call Jesus their brother and saviour. If you want a good read I recommend it or any Scott Hahn books. (We sell them allat the bookshop).

So after work headed to the Cathedral for Six30 which is a weekly gathering of young people at the Cathedral for a Holy Hour of worship before Our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament. I really love going, it is just a simple time of prayer and singing with usually 100 or so other youth and a number of priests available for confession.

For those who aren't Catholics (feel free to join!), the Church has believed and taught for 2000 years that at the consecration of the Mass the bread and wine change into the real body and blood of Jesus Christ, not a symbol, not a sign but his real presence under the appearance of bread and wine. Only at the time of the reformation 400 years ago was this truth contested. Scriptually we look to John Chapter 6 when Jesus emphasises several times that those who wish to have eternal life must eat his body and drink his blood and this is fulfilled at the last supper when he takes the bread and wine and says this IS my body and this IS my blood. It is THE gift of Christ to his Church, we are able to receive him in Holy Communion and pray in his Real Presence, what a marvel!

So back to the Cathedral, it is such a great setting at 6.30pm in summer with the sunlight flooding through the yellow glass panes,

There is a different priest who leads the holy hour each week and he exposes and incences the Blessed Sacrament while a hymn is sung, it truly raises the mind to God for indeed God is really present there with us,

After the Holy Hour most of the youth and the priests head down to a cafe on Bourke St for a meal which is a great time to meet up with others. I left early though as I wasn't feeling well so here I am and I think I'll go to bed very soon.