From the Pastors Desk (6/22/2014) -------------------------------------------------------- My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Today we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi. It is the feast of the Eucharist. To Celebrate “Corpus Christi” is to honor Jesus truly present in the Eucharist and in our lives. To Celebrate the Eucharist is to give thanks to God. Today we give thanks for the gifts of God’s Word, for his Body given for us and for his Blood poured out for us. Corpus Christi is the Mystery of our faith; Christ given to us entirely for our salvation. The Sacrament of love and unity. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” It is not metaphorical food. Jesus is affirming that he inhabits us, and that we are united to him in a very particular and unique way. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” There is not Eucharist in us if we do not share the same feelings of love and generosity as Jesus had. The “memorial” of his death and resurrection is meant to make him present among us. Breaking the same bread should teach us to share and give one’s life to and for others as Jesus did. “Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” If we receive Jesus and do not make communion with our brothers and sisters, the Eucharist loses its meaning. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Unity. The Church lives of the Eucharist. This phrase thought by Saint John Paul II reminds us of the ancient faith of the Church: The Eucharist is the fountain and zenith of Christian life. There is not Eucharist without a community which live from faith and communion. There is not an authentic Christian community without eating and drinking the Body and Blood of Jesus. Eucharist is also Mass and Mission. Jesus invites us to live out what we celebrate. The Eucharist celebrate life and give us the strength to live out our mission. There is not a parenthesis between life and Eucharist. Jesus tells us: take and eat and live out love. St. John Chrysostom underline with severity our commitment when we come to the Eucharistic table, we commit he said, to the poor, the weak and those in need, because they are God’s own. “Do you want to honor Christ’s body? Do not neglect him when he is naked; do not honor him here with silken garments, if when you leave, you will let Him perish outside in the cold. For He said ‘This is my body,’ and by His word confirmed the fact, He also said, ‘You saw me hungry and you did not feed me’ and ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.’ This [the body of Christ on the altar] has no need of coverings, but a pure soul. The poor and the needy require much more attention. Let us honor Christ as He Himself desires… For what is the purpose of dressing His table, when He perishes with hunger? First feed Him, and use the leftovers to dress His altar.” Let us adore the Christ who is at the Altar and love your brother in need. That is the true procession we need to walk. Blessings, Fr. Roberto Pastor
Posted on: Sun, 22 Jun 2014 12:48:53 +0000
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