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Recognizing his presence

  • FATHER GEORGE RUTLER

Europe and its contiguous lands were in a chaotic condition in 1240. 


faithRaphael The Mongols were destroying Kiev, the Novgorod army virtually wiped out the Swedes along the Neva River, and the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, was pillaging the Papal States using Islamic Saracens as his mercenaries.  Pope Gregory IX's attempt to rally a Crusade against the invaders failed, and his good friend Saint Clare was virtually bedridden as the Saracens besieged her convent at San Damiano.  Her beloved Francis of Assisi had died fourteen years before.  In this emergency, she left her invalid couch, went to the window and exposed the Blessed Sacrament in a silver and ivory ciborium, and the alien troops fled.

In northern Mexico until just a few years ago, drug- and gang-related violence had made Ciudad Juarez one of the most dangerous cities in the world.  Following the example of Saint Clare, missionaries turned to the Eucharistic Lord for help.  A perpetual adoration chapel was opened in 2013 when the murder rate was forty people a day, with soldiers and policemen joining the gangs.  Increasing numbers of devotees urged the soldiers to join them in Holy Hours.  Few now dismiss as only coincidence the fact that within five years the annual murder rate dropped from 3,766 to 256.

That rate is far lower than many cities in the United States now.  With dismaying insouciance, statisticians in our nation over recent years have coldly taken for granted its moral decay.  Besides graphic violence in the streets, there are over 500,000 abortions each year.  In many places, births out of wedlock are the norm, teenage suicide has doubled in little more than a decade, 40% of all children live in broken homes, school diplomas and college degrees have generally become meaningless, marriage has been redefined into surreality, and freedom of religion has been intimidated by false readings of constitutional rights.

Recent political shifts in our nation offer a faint glimmer of genuine promise for a change in all this, as more people realize that in the past they had placed their confidence in gossamer hopes and tinsel messiahs.  But the ballot box is no substitute for the Tabernacle.  A well-known Pentecostal preacher surprisingly admitted that most miracles happen in the Catholic Church because "Catholic people revere the Eucharist."  If more Catholics themselves understood that, there would be more miracles.  Now, miracles do not contradict nature: they are God's will at work at high speed.  Christ promised to be with us "until the end of the world."  Eucharistic adoration is simply the recognition of his presence.  Saint Clare prayed, "My Lord, if it is your wish, protect this city which is sustained by your love."  The Lord answered, "It will have to undergo trials, but it will be defended by my protection."

This is Meaghen Gonzalez, Editor of CERC. I hope you appreciated this piece. We curate these articles especially for believers like you.

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Acknowledgement

Rutler5smFather George W. Rutler. "Recognizing his presence." From the Pastor (February 12, 2017).

Reprinted with permission from Father George W. Rutler.

The Author

witwisdomrFather George W. Rutler is the pastor of St. Michael's church in New York City.  He has written many books, including: The Wit and Wisdom of Father George Rutler, The Stories of Hymns, Hints of Heaven: The Parables of Christ and What They Mean for You, Principalities and Powers: Spiritual Combat 1942-1943, Cloud of Witnesses — Dead People I Knew When They Were Alive, Coincidentally: Unserious Reflections on Trivial Connections, A Crisis of Saints: Essays on People and Principles, Brightest and Bestand Adam Danced: The Cross and the Seven Deadly Sins.

Copyright © 2017 Father George W. Rutler