Message from Augie

Today the Church celebrates one of the greatest gifts Christ has given us:  His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist.  Corpus Christi invites us not only to reflect on what the Eucharist is, but also on what it does in our lives.

In the Gospel, we hear the story of the feeding of the five thousand.  The crowd follows Jesus into a deserted place.  They are hungry, tired and in need.  The disciples see the problem and suggest that Jesus send the people away to find food for themselves.  But Jesus responds, give them some of your food.

                The disciples protest.  They only have five loaves and two fish.  Jesus blesses the food and there are leftovers.

The miracle points beyond itself to the Eucharist.  The actions of Jesus, taking, blessing, breaking, and giving,.  are the very action he repeats at  the Last Supper The Bread that nourished the crowd foreshadows the Bread of Life  that nourishes the Church.

As Catholics, we believe that Chris is truly present , Body, blood, soul and divinity, in the consecrated bread and wine.  Every Mass is an encounter with the living Christ.  The same Jesus who taught by the Sea of Galilee, who healed the sick, who died on the cross, and who rose from the dead comes to us in Holy Communion.

 Yet the Eucharist is not meant to be  received.  It is meant to transform us.  St. Augustine once told the faithful, “Be what you receive.”  When we receive the Body of Christ, we are called to become the Body of Christ in the world.

Every time we come forward for Communion, we say “AMEN.”  That simple word means “Yes, I believe.”  It also means, “Yes Lord, I will allow Your life to shape mine.”

Corpus Christi reminds us that God chooses to remain close to us.  May our reverence for the Eucharist deepen.  May we leave this altar renewed, strengthened, and ready to share Christ’s love with all whom we meet.

SO THE QUESTION:    ARE WE READY TO ALLOW JESUS TO RESHAPE OUR LIVES IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST?

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE:  St. Jude, apostle of Christ, the church honors and prays to you universally as the patron of hopeless and difficult cases.   Pray for us in our needs.   Make use, we implore you of this powerful privilege given to you to bring visible and speedy help where help is needed.  Pray that we humbly accept the trials and disappointments and mistakes which are a part of our human nature.   Help us to see the reflection of the suffering of Christ in the trials and tribulations of our lives.   Let us see in a spirit of great faith and hop the part we even now share in the joy of Christ’s resurrection and which we long to share fully in heaven.   Intercede that we may again experience this joy in answer to our present needs.   If it is God’s dire for us (here make your request)  we know our prayers will be heard through your intercession.  AMEN