Sunday, August 9, 2015

A Word from Your Pastor - August 9

Dear Parishioners:

As we continue to reflect on the Eucharist and on our practice of the Catholic Faith in these times of rejection of Faith and pervasive public secularism, it is important for us to realize something central:  the Holy Eucharist is not a “thing.”  It IS the very Person of Jesus as He gives Himself to us.  Jesus IS the Bread of Life.  To receive Him means to welcome Him into our hearts and into our lives.  He is not a quiet guest.  Nor is He passive.  Once we let Him in, He will hound us until He gets all of us.  If you are not ready to allow Him free rein as Lord in your life, it is best to head for the hills….

Jesus speaks His Word and he invites and expects us to hear Him.  When we hear Him, we become capable of more than we have been before.  He feeds our minds and hearts as well as our bodies.  What we take into ourselves takes on a life of its own in us.  When an idea is God’s idea, it is creative.  It is strengthening.  It is nourishing in every way.  And it leads us to relate to the world differently that we have before.

This is a message that the world around us needs to hear.  It is the Truth that the world needs to see and experience in real persons who believe.  Faith is not something for the weak, but rather is the sign of strength and of an openness to a Wisdom that comes from above.  Who are the weak ones – those who set aside their Faith, the Faith that has been shared with them by the Church, in order to conform to the culture of our time, or those who are willing to reach for something greater than the world can offer?  Faith in the Eucharist calls for a full commitment.

We are called to be a community of Welcome.  First, we welcome God among us in the Person of Jesus Christ.  Then, we extend that welcome to others by our whole life, by what we say, what we do, and how we live.  Hospitality is the hallmark of a community that understands the Eucharist.  How are  you responding to the call to be a faithful disciple of  the Lord Jesus, the Bread of Life?


No comments:

Post a Comment