Episode 2728: The Cross, Sacrifice, and the Eternal Feast - Morning Episode

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"The Cross, Sacrifice, and the Eternal Feast: A Call to Holiness"
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Today we’ll meditate on the profound themes of the Cross, sacrifice, and the hope of the eternal feast that awaits us in Heaven.

We’ll reflect on the words of Saint Charles de Foucauld, who teaches us about the transformative power of the Cross, the insights of Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering on the beauty of fasting and feasting, and the scriptural exhortation from the Letter of St. James to humble ourselves before God. Together, these reflections will help us understand how sacrifice prepares us for eternal joy.
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The Cross as a Path to God:
Saint Charles de Foucauld wrote:
"Crosses release us from this world and by doing so bind us to God."
This profound statement reminds us that our crosses, though painful, are necessary for detachment from earthly attachments and for growth in holiness. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus declares:
"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
When we embrace the crosses in our lives whether they come in the form of suffering, trials, or self-denial we are released from the grip of worldly desires. These trials, painful as they may be, become a bridge that binds us to God, teaching us to rely solely on Him.

Saint Charles himself lived this truth by embracing a life of poverty, solitude, and sacrifice, modeling his life after Christ in the desert. His words remind us that the crosses we bear are not punishments but gifts, drawing us closer to God and preparing us for eternal life.
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The Role of Sacrifice in the Christian Life:
Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering write:
"In giving us this regular hunger for food, we are also given opportunity to sacrifice for each other and for God and to discipline our appetites. Always cognizant of our nature, the liturgical year is rife with periods of both fasting and feast. In order to feast, we must also know sacrifice; in fact, it's only in sacrifice that we understand what a feast really is. Our lives can contain an ever-repeating rhythm of each in its proper time. In the same way that it would be profane to feast on Good Friday, so would it be improper to fast on Easter. This rhythm is a reminder of both a need to be filled as well as a need to strengthen our resolve so that we might long first and foremost for the feast that has no end." –Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering
Their insight ties beautifully into the rhythm of the Church’s liturgical calendar, which alternates between seasons of fasting and feasting. Lent prepares us for Easter; Advent prepares us for Christmas. Through fasting, we learn discipline, humility, and self-denial, while feasting reminds us of the joy and abundance of God’s blessings.
The balance of fasting and feasting is a reflection of the Christian life itself:
• Fasting strengthens our resolve and helps us long for Heaven.
• Feasting reminds us of the foretaste of eternal joy we will experience in the heavenly banquet.
As Gress and Mering note, our lives are meant to follow this rhythm, teaching us to sacrifice so that we may truly appreciate the gifts God gives us. The ultimate feast is, of course, the Eucharist, where Christ offers Himself to us as the Bread of Life.
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Submitting Ourselves to God:
Sacrifice and the carrying of the Cross only bear fruit when we humble ourselves before God. St. James exhorts us in James 4:7-10:
"So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."
This passage reminds us that humility is key to drawing near to God. When we submit to Him, resisting the temptations of the devil, we open ourselves to His grace. Our crosses and sacrifices take on meaning only when they are offered to God in humility and trust.
By humbling ourselves before the Lord, we acknowledge our need for His grace. This humility transforms our suffering into a path of purification and prepares us for the eternal feast in Heaven.
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Conclusion:
The Catholic life is one of balance, rhythm, and grace. Through the Cross, as Saint Charles de Foucauld reminds us, we are released from the world and bound to God. Through fasting and feasting, as Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering reflect, we learn discipline and joy, sacrifice and abundance. And through the humility that St. James calls us to embrace, we draw near to God and prepare for the eternal joy of Heaven.
Let us embrace the crosses and sacrifices in our lives with faith and hope, knowing that they lead us to the eternal feast where every tear will be wiped away, and joy will have no end.
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Ending Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the gift of the Cross, which releases us from the chains of this world and binds us to Your love. Help us to embrace our trials and sacrifices with faith, trusting that they lead us to You.
Grant us the grace to live the rhythm of fasting and feasting, knowing that our ultimate feast is with You in eternity. Teach us humility, that we may submit ourselves to Your will and draw near to You.
Through the intercession of Saint Charles de Foucauld, may we carry our crosses with courage and joy, longing always for the eternal banquet You have prepared for us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.