Do This in Memory of Me: Make Known My Eucharistic Mystery

By Laura Catherine Worhacz   

“The Priest is Mary’s privileged child.” Saint Peter Julian Eymard  
 
Dearest Eucharistic Family,
 
Happy Feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. This title for our mother has been honored and invoked prominently by Saint Peter Julian Eymard. Perhaps he realized the sacredness of the priesthood to its mission, and duty to its extreme, through Mary’s heart. The indelible mark on the soul of a priest raises him to the Holy Order of an ordained minister; Our Father in Heaven makes the priest one with Christ. A high office on this side of the Kingdom. The hands of a priest, a privileged gift to consecrate, by the power of God, a simple piece of bread to be made holy into the BODY OF CHRIST. Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Blessed Mother of the Eucharist, and our priests, an excellent title for Mary; she beholds the Sacrament of Holy Orders. 

“The title of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament was first given to Mary by St. Peter Julian Eymard in May 1868 while speaking to his novices. A few years later, he described what her statue should look like: “The Blessed Virgin holds the Infant in her arms, and He holds a chalice in one hand and a Host in the other.” He exhorted them to invoke Mary: “Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us who have recourse to thee!” 

Later, Pius IX enriched the invocation with indulgences. Twice, St. Pius X did the same. On December 30, 1905, he granted a 300 days indulgence to the faithful who prayed: “Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us." “This title, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, is perhaps the most meaningful of all,” said St. Pius X.""

(Our Patroness, https://www.olbs.org/our-patroness.html)

My parish of Saint Vincent de Paul in Holiday, Florida, is served by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. A statue of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament resides in the Church, and Mary has always been special to me and our community under this title due to her presence there. In an older 2005 journal, I wrote, “Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament calling.” I did not realize some years after, on May 23, 2018, I would receive an Imprimatur for a Consecration book; the Holy Spirit inspired me to prepare in what was first on this blog site in 2017. God can do amazing things through our participation, through our yes, uniting in the mission of our Church through the heart of Mary.   
 
Since Easter, I have been on a journey with Our Lady to Pentecost. Thinking and imagining where Mary was during the 50 days in waiting for the breath of life from the Holy Spirit to be cast upon those in the Upper Room. The daily scriptures keep us in a pattern of prayer in our Church. We follow Jesus in the written Word as we are led through this season of Easter and of hope. We are on a mission with Mary to make known the Eucharistic Mystery. 
 
With Mary, we can be strong in Christ. Our world is hurting. In prayer, I sometimes cry out, “God LOVES you. God made you perfect. He does not make mistakes. You are beloved by God Our Father and redeemed in Christ and can live out of this world in grace, by the power of the Holy Spirit.” 
 
Every year, a unique gift is given in renewing my consecration to Jesus through Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. It is not always revealed outwardly; sometimes, quiet blessings come to the heart. This year I recall uniting with Mary’s intentions evermore. In this union, we are drawn out of ourselves and even out of our sorrows to enter something greater. To be part of something more than the things of this world elevates us to Heaven now. A privilege to be a child of Mary and to care for what she cares for. In this, we support the sacred priesthood and partake in the life of the Church through our vocational call to holiness.  
 
“And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Revelation 12:1

Prayer to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament: 
​
Blessed are you, Mary, exalted daughter of Sion!  
You are highly favored and full of grace,  
for the spirit of God descended upon you.  
We magnify the Lord and rejoice with you  
for the gift of the Word made flesh,  
bread of life, and cup of joy.  
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament,  
our model of prayer in the cenacle,  
pray for us that we may become what we receive,  
the body of Christ your Son. Amen  

“Jesus said to his disciples:  
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.  
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;  
but because you do not belong to the world,  
and I have chosen you out of the world,  
the world hates you.  
Remember the word I spoke to you,  
‘No slave is greater than his master.’  
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,  
because they do not know the one who sent me.””

​(John 15:18-21)

May 13, 1856, the commemoration of the Founding of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, Memorial of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and also remembrance of Our Lady of Fatima. 

Laura Catherine Worhacz

Laura Catherine Worhacz is a Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament and author of Consecration to Jesus Through Our Lady of The Blessed Sacrament. She is also the Director of Mothers of The Blessed Sacrament. She lives in Trinity, FL with her husband and their two daughters.