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Christ is Really Present in our church. He delights in our visits. When I was on retreat at Douai Abbey, Christ spoke to me, on Good Friday, about His delight that I had kept Him company in His Passion. He was even more pleased that I had offered my whole adult life to Him, for the doing of His Will; and so He gave me reassurance and comfort.

Some Catholics ignore Christ; others look bored in His Presence; many take no notice of the teachings He gives through His Church. They scarcely believe that He is a real person - a Divine Person - Who is pleased to be shown love as well as to give it.

In every age of Christian history, Christ makes Himself Present, under sacred signs, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Christ prays for us, from our altar. He praises the Father, with praise worthy of Him: praise that we can offer as our own.

Christ is One God with the Father and the Holy Spirit: always joyful. What can possibly give Him joy? He is joyful when we believe what He has said; and He said, of the Holy Eucharist: "This is My Body", and "This is My Blood". He wants everyone to believe in His Real Presence, and to celebrate Corpus Christi.

Just as a consecrated Host, which seems so insignificant, is in fact the Presence of Christ the Saviour, so a tiny embryo, which seems so insignificant, is already a living person who will grow into adult life.

The Sacred Host is Christ Himself, made Present in a sacramental form, under the appearance of bread. This Host can be seen as a lens, through which we can see Heaven, because, in this Blessed Sacrament is all the life of the Godhead! Christ is merciful in coming to us in this way; we are too weak, at present, to bear the sight of His Divinity.

The Lord asks Catholics who doubt His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament: Ff Christ could become man, through the Virgin Mary, and allow Himself to die and be buried, and yet visit Abraham and the Prophets in the underworld, then ascend to Heaven to live there in glory, can He not come down to earth again, by the same power, as the Holy Spirit makes Him Present on the altar, as the bread and wine are changed into Christ's Body and Blood, and His friends prepare to receive Him?

If we believe that God became man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a tiny baby whose nature was both human and Divine, it is surely not difficult to believe that, by the same power of the Holy Spirit, Christ is once again made Present on earth, though in a different manner, in the Mass.

Whether on the podium at Lourdes, or in a parish church, Christ is Really Present at every Mass, in all His glory: as truly Present as when He was with His disciples in Galilee. He is as Present, and as glorious, as at His Transfiguration on the mountain of Tabor, with three Apostles - though His glory is hidden today, under the appearance of bread and wine.

The Mass is the Sacrifice of Calvary, re-presented in a sacramental manner on the altar, whether in a great basilica or in a tiny convent chapel, a thatched hut, or an ordinary parish church. Christ is Present, interceding for sinners.

From the monstrance on our altar where Christ is Really Present, Christ's praise rises up to the Father in Heaven. Christ offers our praises too, as His own. All who praise the Father through Christ, and who remain faithful to the end, will continue that praise, in bliss, in Eternity.

Christ is Really Present amongst us at every Mass, reaching up to the Father, interceding for sinners - for us - and always heard by His Father in Heaven. We unite our prayers to the great prayer of Christ, and we know that it has been heard.

When we are with fellow Catholics on a retreat or a pilgrimage, we have a great opportunity from the Lord - Present amongst us in the Blessed Sacrament - to encourage one another in the Faith, and to declare our faith in Christ and in His Church - although not interrupting people at prayer.

When we are with fellow Catholics on a retreat or a pilgrimage, we have a great opportunity from the Lord - Present amongst us in the Blessed Sacrament - to encourage one another in the Faith, and to declare our faith in Christ and in His Church - although not interrupting people at prayer.

A Catholic who is neither noisy nor unloving, but who reads the church newspaper when in church, is lacking the awareness of the Real Presence of Christ, our God. To ignore Christ, there, is like reading a novel whilst in the presence of the Queen and her courtiers in the throne-room at Buckingham Palace.

The Holy Sacrifice which is offered from the altar is so holy - because it is the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Divine Saviour - that holy Angels stand behind the priest, and adore their Lord and God, Present amongst us.

When in Queen visits a hospital, people use every possible means of showing respect, through their approach, dress, speech, manner, welcome, warmth and gestures: yet how many Catholics use any of these means of showing reverence towards their King: Jesus Christ, Divine King and Savior, Present on the altar and in the tabernacle?

To be near the tabernacle, where Jesus Christ is substantially Present, hidden under the appearance of bread, is to be close to Christ's Divine Life and power. It is as if a fire burns, at the tabernacle, just as in the heart of the bush, as Moses looked on, long ago, when the Lord told him that where he stood was 'holy ground'.

The Lord sees irreverent Catholics, and He asks, Who are those people who refuse to bend the knee, and kneel before Him in prayer? Who are they, who fail to adore Christ, Really Present in the Holy Eucharist? Who are they, who offer praise which is banal, or careless, or frivolous or vain, to their God and Creator?

At the Consecration of the bread and the wine, these change into the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of Christ Who is therefore Present in our sanctuary. From our midst, He prays for sinners today, just as He once prayed from the Cross. That is why it is so important that we attend Sunday Mass, as the Church requests.