Corpus Christi Sunday

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

 

          On Sunday, June 2^nd, the Church throughout the world celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

          The primary purpose of this celebration is to focus our attention on the Eucharist. At every Mass our attention is called to the Real, True, and Full, Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

“In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist ‘the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.’ ” (1374)  

          This is the key doctrine of the faith and a teaching that sets Catholics apart from most other Christians.

          The secondary focus of this celebration is the Body of Christ as it is present in the Church. The Church is called the Body of Christ because of the intimate unity which Jesus shares with his disciples – and with us

 

Gospel of John 6:51-54, 55-67

 

                   “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

 The disciples quarreled among themselves, saying,

 “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

 

Jesus said to them,

                   “. . . unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and me in them.”

 

Then many of his disciples who were listening said,

“This is hard to understand and to believe; who can accept it?”

Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring and complaining about this, he said to them,

 

                   “Does this shock you? The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

 

As a result of this, many his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer followed him or believed in him.

 Jesus then said to the Twelve,

“Do you also want to leave?”

 Did Jesus mean that it is necessary to really eat his flesh and drink his blood?

Did Jesus mean that the bread and wine only “figuratively” represented His flesh and blood? 

 

Did Jesus ever imply that the Eucharist was just a mere symbol?

 

DID JESUS REALLY MEAN WHAT HE SAID?

 

          The disciples would probably not have been so outraged and scandalized if they had thought or believed that Jesus was talking only about a mere “symbol” of His Body and Blood.

           If they had misunderstood Jesus, thinking that He meant to literally eat His flesh and drink His blood – then Jesus could have very easily clarified his point. 

          And since “many” of the disciples left Jesus because of this teaching, Jesus would have certainly felt obligated to explain to them, if it was true, that he was just speaking in purely “symbolic” terms.

But Jesus did not make such a clarification.

 Why not?

 

THE HEART OF THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

           At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration is the bread and wine. There is an important symbolic meaning to these gifts of bread and wine:

·        They are gifts brought forward by the baptized to be presented to the priest, thus symbolizing the action and involvement of the community.

·        Bread and wine are not purely “natural” symbols as is water in Baptism, but are the product of cooperation between God the Creator and we as human beings. God does not make bread and wine; human beings do.

 THE GATHERING OF THE FAITHFUL

           We come to a particular place for the celebration of the Mass, being aware that our coming together is not like our coming to any other place.

It is the grace of God that brings us together in this place. It is in this coming together we form a sign that it is God who gathers us, and that now He will act. Both the priest and the assembly interact together. Everything that is said and done is done together, the priest and the assembly. It is all a sign of the Church as Christ’s body and Christ as the head of that body.

 EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

During the Eucharistic Prayer, Christ in the person of the priest, gives thanksgiving for the action and praise that He is now about to perform.

Through the hands of the priest that rest over the gifts of bread and wine, he prays:

 ·        asking the Father to send down His Spirit so that they may become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ,

 ·        That those who take part in this Eucharist may be one body and one spirit.

 ·        The priest lifts up the true presence of the Body and Blood of our Lord, and

 ·        Presents them to God the Father as the perfect offering made to the glory of His name.

 In that moment, we as the Church are doing what Christ did and forever does: the Church offers His one Body, to which the Church has been joined, to the Father for the glory of his name and for the salvation of the world.

HOLY COMMUNION

Each one of us in receiving, eating, and ingesting the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are:  

·        now united to Christ in an intensely and deeply personal way.

·        now In the body of the gathered assembly, we become an enormous sign of Christ’s presence in the world.

 How should all this affect . . .

 

·        Our belief in God? 

·        Our relationship with Jesus?

·        Our relationship with each other?
·        Our living out our Christian life as Catholics?

 Let us pray,

“Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”

 

        Strengthen our faith, reinforce our belief, and banish the darkness of doubt.  Help us to pray courageously, to do good to all, and to guard against losing the spiritual salt of our faith. Give us the resolve and the wisdom to be Jesus’ follower, even when it isn’t easy.  Help us to receive the truth of your presence in our lives.

Worth Reading!
 

Here are two worthwhile ‘reads’ from other Blogs.

The first is a humorous writing that any mother who has raised two or more boys will certainly identify with, (Happy Mother’s Day!):

The Theology of the Bathroom – located at:

 http://www.ncregister.com/blog/simcha-fisher/the-theology-of-the-bathroom

 

This Blog is about Where Calumny is, There is the Devil.  Calumny is a word that today is probably better understood as “Dissing” – or the disrespecting of others.  I think it is a topic that we don’t often think about, but should. (also see Ephesians 4:19-32)

Where Calumny is, There is the Devil – located at:

 

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/pope-francis-calumny-is-of-the-devil

 

 

God's Promise and Gifts for All – Shalom!

          A new survey published on March 26th by the American Bible Society – as reported in the Jesuit magazine America - finds that Americans overwhelmingly believe morals and values are declining in the United States.

What was the most often cited cause for this decline?

           The main reason given was the lack of reading and putting into practice the lessons and teachings found in the Bible.

 ·        66 percent of those surveyed agreed that the Bible contains everything a person needs to know to live a meaningful life,

But. . .  

·        58 percent say they do not personally want wisdom and advice from the Bible,

·        57 percent say they read the Bible fewer than five times per year.

 

          The Bible, even though it is often referred to as the “ultimate instruction guide on how to live a moral life;” unfortunately, it seems, that more than half of Americans rarely, if ever, read it!

 

If we had a cure for cancer,

wouldn’t everyone with cancer take it?

          Americans are telling us that the cure for declining morality is sitting right on our bookshelves, but many are simply letting the cure gather dust.

          Fortunately for Catholics, the Church directs that in a continuing and repeating 3 year cycle, all the bible scripture writings are to be read and proclaimed at daily and weekend Masses. This directive of the church insures that we will have an opportunity to hear and learn God’s Word as it is in the Scriptures.

Jesus assures and promises

          In this Sunday’s Gospel,(JN 14:23-29; May 5, 2012) which is part of Jesus’ farewell discourse, Jesus assures and promises to his disciples – and you and me too – that he will not leave us as orphans. His impending departure will not leave the disciples or us lacking or deprived, in any way, of his love.

           Today these Assurances and Promises are presented to us in their fullness in Jesus Christ.

The Message

          There are 4 distinct messages for us in today’s Gospel of John

First:

THE “PROMISE”:

 “Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love them,

What is this “word” that Jesus refers to? 

When Jesus was asked “What is the greatest Commandment?” – Jesus’ reply was: “. . . to love one other as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)

. . . and we will come to them

 and make our dwelling with them.”

 

 

 St. Teresa of Avila reminds us that, “If Christ Jesus dwells in you as your friend and noble leader, then you can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us.”

 Secondly: 

 THE SUPPORT:

 "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you."

 The Holy Spirit – the Advocate – brings seven gifts to each of us helping us to lead a Christian Life. These Gifts are:

WISDOM: Through wisdom, we come to value properly those things which we believe through faith. That the truth of Christian belief is more important than the things of this world

 

UNDERSTANDING: Allows us grasp, at least in a limited way, the very essence of the truths of the Catholic Faith. Through understanding, we gain a conviction about our beliefs that moves beyond faith.

 

COUNSEL/GUIDANCE: Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, we are able to judge how best to act almost by intuition. Because of the gift of counsel, we need not fear to stand up for the truths of the Faith, because the Holy Spirit will guide us in defending those truths.

 

FORTITUDE/COURAGE: Gives us the strength to act and follow through on our Christian faith. Fortitude is the virtue of the martyrs that allows them to suffer any outcome rather than to renounce their Christian Faith.

 

KNOWLEDGE: Allows us to see our life the way that God sees us.

 

PIETY/FAITHFULNESS: The willingness to worship and to serve God; a willingness that goes beyond a sense of duty, so that we desire to worship God and to serve Him out of love.

 

FEAR OF GOD: This gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the desire not to offend God, as well as the certainty that God will supply us the grace that we need in order to keep from offending Him.

 

Thirdly:

 THE PROMISE OF PEACE:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you."

To wish another “peace” is to wish for their fulfillment, for an abundance of all they need, for prosperity. Peace is not merely the end of wars, or the end of violence; rather, “ true peace” is the very presence of God entering in to the human heart.

And finally:

THE PROMISE OF HOPE:

 "Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
I am going away and I will come back to you."

 

We are instructed to live a life of “hope,” a hope that transcends and over comes the many times we fall victim to the feelings of fear, doubt, and anger and the life experiences of loss and pain.  Peter who was a witness of Jesus’ life and teachings writes:

 

Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who in his great mercy gave us a new birth

to a living hope

to an inheritance that is

imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,

and kept in heaven for you,

 In this you rejoice,  

 

 1Peter 1:4-9

 

 

Let us Pray: 

We give thanks to you, our God, because of your constant love for us; you have given us the promise of everlasting life with you.

Holy Spirit, give us the courage and wisdom to be Jesus’ follower, even when it isn’t easy.  Fill us with the joy and peace that comes from doing your will.   Amen.

 

 

 

A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

Dear Mr. President,

        Much attention came to the forefront of the citizens of our great country when the intentional killing of children and adults took place at the Sandy Hook Elementry School.

        While the loss of life of those 20 children and 6 teachers is tragic beyond human comprehension or words to adequately express our shock and sorrow, it points out to us that there is an undeniable need for the full effort of our government to stop any further human carnage. As tragic as that crime was, may I point out that in this country there are over 3,000 abortions every day! I know that when it is referred to as “abortions” it sounds more like a legal surgical procedure then the intentional killing of innocent babies.  But is it?

        Whether a person professes to be “Pro Choice,” because their choice is to protect the “life” of the developing human[PRO-LIFE]; or they profess to be “Pro-Choice” because, their choice is to intentionally cause the “death,” of the developing human [PRO-DEATH]; the indisputable scientific facts concerning these “choices” cannot be overlooked or denied regarding the validity and consequences of these choices.

Is abortion really the killing of a human being?

        The entire basis for a new human life beginning at conception stems from well documented, universally recognized scientific facts. Science has quite clearly and decidedly proven that a new human life begins at conception. Logically, it would be from that moment of new life, that this new human being should be treated with all the rights, protections, and the dignities that come with being a human being.

 

A new and distinct organism

 

        In human reproduction, when sperm joins ovum, these two individual cells cease to be, and their union generates a new and distinct organism. This organism is a whole, though in the beginning a developmentally immature, member of the human species. These new human embryos only need suitable environment and nutrition to become a more mature human being, which can be accurately said about any living human being. The unfortunate reality today is that the quality of life outside of the womb is becoming a less and less a “suitable environment” to nourish or sustain the life regardless of that human’s age.

 

All unnatural deaths damage us and our Country!

 

        We sadly and rightfully mourn the loss of those innocent children of the Sandy Hook School, and all who have suffered death from extreme violence. But, doesn’t it in many ways pale in comparison to the violent killing of more than 3,000 unborn humans beings every day in this country?  Consider the loss of the potential that the terminated lives of these unborn children represent.

 

        Death by intentional violence in any manner and by any means is a heinous and horrific event and a crime against our country and our society.

 

SUFFERING IS NEVER THE LAST WORD

 

          The following is an excerpt from an editorial written by the editors of America magazine – a Jesuit publication.  The editorial in its entirety can be viewed at: http://americamagazine.org/issue/marathon

 

 The Marathon

          This is not the first time such pointless suffering has been inflicted, and it will surely, sadly, not be the last. Our hearts have been cracked open and pried apart again by tragedy. But this fractured heart makes space for love to grow, to pour forth and to flow into the world.

 

           This is the love that tears down fences instead of fleeing the horror.

 

           This is the love that stanches the blood flowing from severed limbs, picks up the fallen, comforts the injured.

 

           This is the love that spends frantic moments that seem like an eternity seeking after loved ones, forgetting old resentments upon the news that they are safe and secure.

           This is the love that aches over the murder of innocent bystanders.

 

          “In the midst of the darkness of this tragedy,” said Cardinal Sean O’Malley, O.F.M.Cap., of Boston, “we turn to the light of Christ.”

 

          At the end of this Easter season, Boston has been returned to Good Friday, a day that teaches us that we have a God who understands suffering.

 

 

          Everyone on the first Good Friday in Jerusalem knew suffering. Jesus’ disciples, who had expected a joyful victory, confronted instead a miserable failure. Family and friends had followed him into the city in great happiness; they were rewarded with uncontainable grief. Like the people in Boston, who had prepared for joy, they must have struggled to accept all the day’s misery. Here was the person they loved, for whom they had great hopes, cut down. It did not make sense.

 

           A victim of senseless violence as surely as those on Boylston Street, Jesus is with us in our suffering, not only because he loves us, but because he has suffered too.

 

           But suffering is never the last word. There is always the possibility of new life. But how will that victory be achieved? The end of our race, where we know peace and mercy overtake the darkness, may be too distant to see now, as it was impossible for the disciples on Good Friday to see; but the God who has suffered is ready to help us, always holding out the promise of something new, something that will help us move beyond the blood and the tears.

 

           That was true in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, and it is true in Boston—and anywhere else the darkness may fall—today.

 

In memory of Officer Sean Collier,*

MIT Police Department,

and all fallen Law Enforcement Officers,

Firefighters,

and all who protect us. 

A Prayer for Police Officers,

Firefighters, and First Responders

"Greater love has no one than this,
then they who willingly lay down their life

for their friends and strangers."

John 15:13

Almighty God,

Whose great power 
and eternal wisdom 
embraces the universe,

Watch over all 
police, law enforcement officers, 
firefighters, and first responders
everywhere.

Protect them from harm 
in the performance of their duty

To stop crime and save us 
from fires and natural disasters.

We pray, help them 
keep our streets and homes safe,
day and night. 

We commend them to your loving 
care because their duty is 
dangerous.

Grant to them
strenght and courage
in their daily assignments.
 

Dear God, 

protect these brave

men and women.

Grant them 
your almighty protection,

Unite them safely 
with their families 
after duty has ended.

Amen

 * Officer Sean Collier was a avid supporter of the JIMMY FUND by having regular deductions taken from his pay checks.  The JIMMY FUND solely supports Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, raising funds for adult and children cancer care and research to improve the chances of survival for cancer patients around the world.

If you would like to make a donation to the JIMMY FUND as a way to honor the memory of Sean’s work and sacrifice you can do so by either telephone: (800) 52-JIMMY -  (54669) or on the internet:  http://www.jimmyfund.org

THE WALL *

 

You don't ever want to think about the wall,

the wall that stands between you and chaos.

But, was it not for the men and women who stand on that wall,

life as you know it would be lost.

 

There is a wave of violence and fear

sweeping across our great land.

There has to be someone to stop this threat

and at times, with a firm hand.

 

You never know how it feels

to have to put all your fear aside, for after all

I am a Police Officer

and I protect that Wall.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, 
for they will be called the children of God."

Matthew 5:9 

* In appreciation and thanks to Sgt. C. Smith, Code 3, for his prayer the Wall.

Let us pray:

 

  Be at peace, Officer Collier and all law enforcement officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty; be at rest, for within you is the Lord, he has given to you his saving power. 

            May your souls now rise and shine forth, for your light has come, may the glory of the Lord now be upon you.  May His splendor be revealed to you, and may your souls be filled with wonder and thanksgiving.

             No more shall the sun be your light by day, nor will the moon’s beam enlighten you by night; for now the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God shall be your glory.

 

            No more for you the setting of suns, no more the waning of moons; the days of your anxiety and suffering have ended, For now may the Lord is your everlasting light.

             Be at peace, most honorable Officers and Firefighters, and be at rest, for within each of you is the Lord, he has given to you his saving power.  Amen.