Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • January 5, 2024 3 Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) January 5, 2024 Volume 41, Issue 10 The GULF PINE CATHOLIC , published every other week, is an official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi. Editorial offices are located at 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532. Periodical postage paid at Gulfport, MS. —POSTMASTER— Send address changes to: The GULF PINE CATHOLIC 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 —PUBLISHER— Most Rev. Louis F. 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Allow three weeks for changes of address. —DEADLINES for JAN. 19— News copy and photos: Due JAN. 11, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due JAN. 11, 10 a.m. Jan. 7 Mass, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, Biloxi, 11 a.m. Jan. 7-11 Region V Bishops Retreat, Archdiocese of New Orleans Retreat Center Jan. 13 Diocesan SVdP Meeting, 9 a.m. Jan. 14 Mass, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, Biloxi, Rosary Rally March For Life 2 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi (This column comes from Bishop Kihneman’s reflections on the Eucharist given during an Advent Holy Hour for Priests on December 6 at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral). “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary “And coming to her, he said, ‘Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ “But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. :He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:26-33). Jesus was carried by Mary in her womb and born as a baby to us. As I reflect on this reality in light of the Eucharist, I see this as God’s plan for us unfolding in a very real way. His coming in the flesh for us was sign of what was to be and that is Him living among Bishop Kihneman Reflections on the Eucharist As we begin the Mass, we actually begin in Purgative Prayer . It is a moment for us to lay aside all of the things that would dis- tract us, all of the things that would really cause us not to enter into the moment of God’s love. It is even a moment when we can place any venial sins we have before the Lord and receive forgiveness in that moment. The purging of that which is not of God is the first thing that happens at the foot of the altar. That is why we say “I confess….” and “Lord have mercy.” It is a simple moment but it is a moment that the Church has preserved for us in the Eucharist so that we begin with asking forgiveness. We begin in contrition. We begin in our desire to meet Jesus completely free of anything that is causing us to be distracted, anything that is causing us to be separated from Him. That actually prepares us for the second form of prayer which happens in the Eucharist, Illuminative Prayer . The illumi- nation moment is when the Word of God is proclaimed. It is really meant to be an illumi- nation. It is really meant to be the light going on and shining before us in the Word of God so that the Word of God is speaking to us in such a way that it begins to want to cause us to change our lives and to become more like Christ every day. When I am preparing a homily or a talk I am going to give, I am really praying for the grace of illumination, that the light of Christ will reveal what He is speaking to me but also what He wants to speak to the entire faith community. It is a moment to allow the Word to enter our lives in a new way, in a fresh way and in a way that is meant to change us and to give us hope that we are illuminated by the love of God in the Word of God. It is really a powerful moment and, every time I hear the Word of God, I am expecting that miracle to happen. Every time I read the Word, I am expecting that miracle to happen. I would encourage you then to do the same in preparing your homilies or teaching moments. Expect a miracle of the Word to touch you in the Eucharist. Expect Jesus and the Word of God to truly enter you and bless you with His love, to bless you with the grace you need to be the kind of witness that we are all called to be. “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one He sent” (John 6: 29). The crowds asked Jesus, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?: (John 6: 30). What a sign we have in the Eucharist! SEE BISHOP KIHNEMAN’S COLUMN, PAGE 7 us, preaching, performing miracles, dying on the cross, rising from the dead and ascending to the Father. Most importantly, He gave us Himself in the Eucharist. Every time we enter into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, especially during the Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration, it is a moment for us to remember the Nativity of Jesus in our lives and, every time we cele- brate the Mass, it is a Nativity moment. Jesus is born in our midst and we get to share in His Body and Blood, the Body and Blood of the infant Jesus and the Body and Blood of Jesus, who died on the cross, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father. In St. John’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled” (John 6: 26). There is a hunger out there and there is a hunger in us. What are we really looking for? How are we filling that hunger? Are we allowing the Eucharist itself, Jesus Himself in the Eucharist, to fill that hunger in us -- whether it is an emotional hunger, physical hunger or especially spiritual hunger? Jesus says, “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (John 6: 26). The invitation is for us to enter into the Eucharist completely, leaving everything behind and giving ourselves to Him and letting Him give Himself to us.