Do This in Memory of Me: Partaking in the Mission of our Catholic Church

By: Laura Worhacz

​“But the mission dearest to Mary ‘s heart was that of constant prayer…”  - Saint Peter Julian Eymard

Dearest Eucharistic Family,

Mary guides us through our journey of faith. The mission of our Catholic Church continues through the Cross of Jesus Christ for our eternal salvation. Living in the mystery of our suffering and allowing the pain to be offered in humble service is the revelation of the saints. Grace pours out of the unknown. Our hidden and submissive offerings are those we may be tempted to think unseen.  God’s vision of love for our lives is seen in the silence.

Mary’s mission was that of constant prayer. If we think of our Lady’s prayer… How did she pray? She was not praying the rosary as we know it now, or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It seems Mary lived in a constant state of prayer. This union of prayer granted her to be the first missionary of our Catholic Church. I have been praying for years the rosary, chaplet, and many personal devotions. The prayers take my heart home to the Catholic Church and bring me into greater union with God. However, when Raymond (my husband) was in ICU for two weeks after his recent liver transplant surgery my prayer lived in the deep silence of my soul. I was blessed in those weeks to get to an early morning Mass. Receiving Communion was everything to remind my soul of its mission. The rest of the days were a blur, busy with nurses, doctors and taking care of Raymond. Our mission begins with fulfilling the duties of our state in life. The mission is granted by our interior consent to God’s Holy Will. Obedience to silent time with our Father, and receiving His son, sets us on our course. There are times we are in control of our prayer and other times we are tossed about, yet by the gift of the Eucharist we are still within, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46).

The Holy Spirit will guide our paths and all the work thereafter. God is so gracious; He offers us freedom; we give permission to His life in us. His grace is ever ready to be poured out to us. The mission of our Catholic Church begins in the heart of each believer. Where God extends our mission will be granted one breath at a time. We pray, like Mary, for our constant prayer of consent to be where our mission on earth begins.

 Happy and blessed New Year to you and your families.