St. Clement Mary Hofbauer was sent to Warsaw, Poland, to minister to the spiritual needs of several thousand Germans living there. This saint and his two companions lived a very simple, frugal, hand-to-mouth existence. Their food was extremely limited in quantity and variety.
A day came when there was not a penny in their pockets or a bite of food in the pantry, and there seemed little chance of immediate help. Fr. Hofbauer then went over to the church and knelt on the altar steps to tell their need to Jesus in the tabernacle. Insistent and confident as a child, Fr. Hofbauer then walked up to the tabernacle, tapped gently on the golden door, and spoke softly: "Lord, we are in great need; come quick and help us." It was not long after, when a total stranger rapped on the rectory door, leaving a sum of money generous enough to supply their needs for some time.
Child-like as it may seem, this incident emphasizes the power of petition presented to Christ in the Eucharist. Of the four principal kinds of prayer, that of petition or asking is the one most generally practiced. When we ask God for favors, we are simply accepting the invitation of Christ: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7).
During our visits to the Blessed Sacrament recall the picture of St. Clement Hofbauer tapping on the tabernacle door. Recall his attention, his sincerity, his humility, his confidence and his perseverance. Let us be as attentive, as sincere, as humble, as confident and as persevering in our petitions.
Reprinted with permission from Witness Ministries, a lay apostolate dedicated to renewing appreciation for the Mass as the greatest gift which God has given to His beloved spouse, the Church. Their mission is to show how, in the Eucharistic Liturgy, Jesus renews and transforms us–and the world–in His life and love. Their published titles include:
· My Daily Eucharist
· My Daily Eucharist II
· The Mass
· Eucharist God Among Us
Witness Ministries
825 S. Waukegan Road PMB 200
Lake Forest, Illinois, 60045
Tel: (847) 735-0556
www.witnessministries.org