For the past several weeks we have been given a wonderful opportunity through the Church Calendar to examine important truths of our faith and to look at them through the perspective of mass and Christian Fellowship. On Pentecost, we heard about God’s Love and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Last week we examined the Holy Trinity and its relationship to us and the Church. This Sunday, we celebrate The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is the foundation of our mass and that everlasting gift that Christ gave to us in the form of a Sacramental Grace so that we may experience His presence and love more fully every day of our lives. When we gather together to celebrate mass, it is of course to celebrate the Eucharist in community and Christian Fellowship, but we cannot forget the valuable knowledge and understanding we can gain simply by listening to the words that are spoken and the meaning they are trying to convey.
To fully appreciate this we must first and foremost be aware that the mass is divided into two Liturgies: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word begins the mass and ends with the Prayers of the Faithful. In the Liturgy of the Word, we are invited celebrate our faith, profess it, and listen to the words of Sacred Scripture; meditating on their meaning. We are challenged to open our hearts to the message of God and to have it affect us in a spiritual way. There can obviously be an application to our own experiences in life and what we might be going through at that moment or it might be something that can be applied to our journey of faith. That is the beauty of Sacred Scripture: it is timeless and filled with God’s wisdom. The Homily is tailored so as to open the scripture to the faithful and assist us all in this area. Through this liturgy, we are afforded the opportunity to deepen our knowledge and understanding of our faith, but we must focus on what is being said. We must concentrate on the words that are being spoken to us, for they are indeed the Word of God. He definitely has something to say to us and He is asking us to listen.
For the past several weeks, the Church has been telling us a story. It is a story of God’s Love in action and the working of the Holy Trinity. Together, in the light of God’s Love and the Holy Trinity, we are then presented with the Eucharist. It is being handed to us to keep and to hold close to our hearts. As we look at it being raised before us, how wonderful would it be to recall the words of Moses, “"Do not forget the LORD, your God.” As it is placed gently into our hands Paul says to us, “we, though many, are one body.” And finally, as it is consumed, we are reminded by Christ Himself: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.”
Through mass we are able to experience everything in one climatic moment. The Word of God leads to His Living Body and Blood to be given to us who deserve it the least but need it the most. Then we leave filled with His Grace and Love; knowing full well that we are in receipt of something very special.
We are frequently told throughout Sacred Scriptures how to conduct ourselves and interact with one another within community and within a family setting. These rules of conduct become an expectation if we are to live a full, devout, and fulfilling Christian Life. Going against these rules or justifying our actions leads to shortcomings and a less satisfying existence with Our Lord Jesus Christ. It also leads to conflict within us and a disordered life full of confusion. This we already know; our conscious is our guide and tells us this readily. More than an instruction manual, though, Sacred Scripture Offers us a key to understanding God and thus our relationship with Him. And knowing God is to understand His love for us and our love for Him.
It is very important to understand that love that God has for us, for as we explore that, we are exploring that third part of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit: the Love of God in motion: the Act of God’s Love. We listened today as the Holy Sprit descended upon the Apostles and they were then sent out into the world to preach the Message of Salvation. They left that Upper Room of Doubt and its Security and stepped out into the world fully understanding what they had to do. Whatever misgivings they had were replaced by that Spirit. And that Spirit gave them the strength, ability, and knowledge to carry on.
As with the Apostles, we too are receivers of God’s Love and also those special gifts that come with it. As an intricate part of God’s creation we are touched by His Love, through Sacramental Graces we feel the presence of His Love continuously throughout our lives, and as we open our hearts to Him, we are more apt to feel the presence of His Spirit.
Through His Spirit we are able to see His work in our lives and in the world and are able to comprehend how we need to live our lives as followers of Christ. We can understand the difference between right and wrong and have the ability to choose right. We can overcome our fears and take risks as followers of Christ. We start to understand God more and are humbled by His presence: we have a reverence for Him and for His Church. And first and foremost, we fear Him in a loving way. These are known as the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
With these Gifts we become whole in our relationship to God as His children. And with these Gifts, we can come forward in service to God and His Church. Filled with the Holy Spirit and Confirmed with the Holy Spirit, we can be focused on doing what is right and proper in accordance with God’s Plan. Our individual talents and capabilities are now oriented towards the Greater Good and the Expectancies of Savior Jesus Christ.
We all have that choice to respond to Him and respond to His Love or to turn away and do our own thing. We can build up things around us in His Name and perform acts of charity as He asks us to do or we can walk away. It is no coincidence that as we act and do things in His Name that we feel good. We can actually feel God’s Love within ourselves and feel the Spirit alive within ourselves. When we don’t, there is a hole; a deep emptiness that threatens to overpower us.
And those feelings are not limited to us alone. All of us have that capability to influence others around us for better or for worse. We can lift ourselves up to the greatest heights and help those around us and we can pull ourselves down dragging others with us also.
This becomes a great responsibility. Each and every one of us is important in the eyes of Christ and in the eyes of the Christian Faithful. We cannot lose sight of this. And we cannot let society lose sight of this either. When it does, terrible things are apt to happen.
You can see a life with Christ and compare it with a life without Christ: a society where every living human being, born and unborn, is cherished and loved; where the human condition is above materialism and consumerism; where the thoughts and feelings of each person matters. This is what we stand for. This is what we believe. And this is what Christ wants us to do. Christ asks us to come forward and use our gifts and talents in His name for the betterment of His creation and for the betterment of His Kingdom. And when we do this, He responds to our actions and deeds. We feel His Love alive within us. It moves us and surrounds us. It becomes undeniable. This is one of the main reasons why we are here today: called forward to worship and love God. We are then challenged as we are sent forth back into the world.
And what a wonderful challenge it is: to serve our Lord, Creator, and Master.
We are frequently told throughout Sacred Scriptures how to conduct ourselves and interact with one another within community and within a family setting. These rules of conduct become an expectation if we are to live a full, devout, and fulfilling Christian Life. Going against these rules or justifying our actions leads to shortcomings and a less satisfying existence with Our Lord Jesus Christ. It also leads to conflict within us and a disordered life full of confusion. This we already know; our conscious is our guide and tells us this readily. More than an instruction manual, though, Sacred Scripture Offers us a key to understanding God and thus our relationship with Him. And knowing God is to understand His love for us and our love for Him.
It is very important to understand that love that God has for us, for as we explore that, we are exploring that third part of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit: the Love of God in motion: the Act of God’s Love. We listened today as the Holy Sprit descended upon the Apostles and they were then sent out into the world to preach the Message of Salvation. They left that Upper Room of Doubt and its Security and stepped out into the world fully understanding what they had to do. Whatever misgivings they had were replaced by that Spirit. And that Spirit gave them the strength, ability, and knowledge to carry on.
As with the Apostles, we too are receivers of God’s Love and also those special gifts that come with it. As an intricate part of God’s creation we are touched by His Love, through Sacramental Graces we feel the presence of His Love continuously throughout our lives, and as we open our hearts to Him, we are more apt to feel the presence of His Spirit.
Through His Spirit we are able to see His work in our lives and in the world and are able to comprehend how we need to live our lives as followers of Christ. We can understand the difference between right and wrong and have the ability to choose right. We can overcome our fears and take risks as followers of Christ. We start to understand God more and are humbled by His presence: we have a reverence for Him and for His Church. And first and foremost, we fear Him in a loving way. These are known as the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
With these Gifts we become whole in our relationship to God as His children. And with these Gifts, we can come forward in service to God and His Church. Filled with the Holy Spirit and Confirmed with the Holy Spirit, we can be focused on doing what is right and proper in accordance with God’s Plan. Our individual talents and capabilities are now oriented towards the Greater Good and the Expectancies of Savior Jesus Christ.
We all have that choice to respond to Him and respond to His Love or to turn away and do our own thing. We can build up things around us in His Name and perform acts of charity as He asks us to do or we can walk away. It is no coincidence that as we act and do things in His Name that we feel good. We can actually feel God’s Love within ourselves and feel the Spirit alive within ourselves. When we don’t, there is a hole; a deep emptiness that threatens to overpower us.
And those feelings are not limited to us alone. All of us have that capability to influence others around us for better or for worse. We can lift ourselves up to the greatest heights and help those around us and we can pull ourselves down dragging others with us also.
This becomes a great responsibility. Each and every one of us is important in the eyes of Christ and in the eyes of the Christian Faithful. We cannot lose sight of this. And we cannot let society lose sight of this either. When it does, terrible things are apt to happen.
You can see a life with Christ and compare it with a life without Christ: a society where every living human being, born and unborn, is cherished and loved; where the human condition is above materialism and consumerism; where the thoughts and feelings of each person matters. This is what we stand for. This is what we believe. And this is what Christ wants us to do. Christ asks us to come forward and use our gifts and talents in His name for the betterment of His creation and for the betterment of His Kingdom. And when we do this, He responds to our actions and deeds. We feel His Love alive within us. It moves us and surrounds us. It becomes undeniable. This is one of the main reasons why we are here today: called forward to worship and love God. We are then challenged as we are sent forth back into the world.
And what a wonderful challenge it is: to serve our Lord, Creator, and Master.
Imagine the spectrum of emotion that the Apostles and the rest of Jesus’ followers have gone through; from the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the Ascension. Jesus is taken from them, returns, and then leaves once again. Through these events, Jesus’ message has been slowly revealed to them and their purpose within it.
But what an overpowering message and responsibility they are given. I would offer that human nature would raise the question: “Where do we start?”, “How are we supposed to accomplish what we have been invited to do?”
Then, they do the natural thing. They gather together in the upper room where they were staying and pray. They seek comfort in the presence of God and find themselves close to Christ being in that same place where he broke bread with them one last time. The very place where He instituted the Eucharist is where they return to. Here, possibly in the same room where Christ instituted the Eucharist, for is states the upper room a phrase of familiarity, is where we start to see the formation of the Early Church: a community gathering together immersed in prayer seeking guidance from God. And when they emerge from the upper room they are no longer the same. They become focused and begin to lay the foundation of their ministry.
Throughout the scriptures we are given a window into the humanness of Jesus’ followers and it is not only through their strength that we are able to learn more about our own faith and spirituality. It is more through their shortfalls and weaknesses that we are able to examine ourselves and our relationship with Christ. Many times, we already know what our obligations are and what we have to do. It is our very nature to look ahead: days, weeks, months, and even years. It is not uncommon to have a roadmap before us; a plan already in place. There are some more meticulous than others and there are those who prefer to “shoot from the hip,” so to speak. We have an intellect that we use to experience life before us. When the plan is followed and things run smooth is when we tend to coast; we get into a pattern and that pattern is very comfortable. Comfortable is good.
It is those times when confronted with adversity that some sort of crisis can arise; where faith can be questioned and doubts can be raised. It is here where we can receive our guidance from the Apostles, those before us who faced the most insurmountable challenges imagined. Being human, they too had their own doubts and felt overburdened by what they had to do. In the end, they brought it to prayer and turned it over to God. This we are encouraged to do. Through prayer we can bring clarity to life and its challenges. The simple act of prayer strengthens our relationship with Christ and has that ability to give all of us the support we need to circumvent obstacles and emerge from crisis all the more easily. It offers clarity and a safe-haven, as did the upper room to the Apostles.
But there is another aspect of prayer that cannot be forgotten. And that is prayers of thanks and appreciation. Through these prayers we can remind ourselves of the wonderful gifts that we have been given in our lives. We cannot ignore all the beautiful and glorious things that we have been given and the opportunities unique where we can seek comfort when we need it and love him because of what he has given us. Paul extols us that when we are troubled and are put to the test in matters of our faith to compare ourselves to the suffering Christ and all the more rejoice and celebrate that same faith. We can also bring this into our everyday life, knowing at all times that Christ is with us and loves us. Learn by his example and follow his example. Avoid the pitfalls and temptations of this world and keep the focus on him and his everlasting glory. Christ being central to our faith must also be central in our lives and the lives of our families. The more we live by the virtues of Christ, the more we will be able to shine forth as an example of the Christian Faith.
Christ taught us to pray by praying. He laid before us his own roadmap and plan for us. He prayed for us to the Father and continues to do so. We pray with him in the mass. Here in the mass we have a wonderful, beautiful liturgy that strengthens our faith with its celebration. The Church asks us to look beyond the Liturgy and see what is behind it. Jesus is present with us in this celebration and is praying amongst us. What a beautiful image that is. And what a wonderful truth. He is with us, immersing us with his love. It is sometimes easily to forget that as we go through the motions, but that is the ultimate truth of our faith: Jesus is here and he is also present in the Eucharist. The opportunity is there to feel him and truly be a part of the liturgy, an active participant, and not just an onlooker. It is all in how we approach it.
As Christ himself says, he is glorified within us. We are personally his in a very special way. That will never change.
Imagine the spectrum of emotion that the Apostles and the rest of Jesus’ followers have gone through; from the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the Ascension. Jesus is taken from them, returns, and then leaves once again. Through these events, Jesus’ message has been slowly revealed to them and their purpose within it.
But what an overpowering message and responsibility they are given. I would offer that human nature would raise the question: “Where do we start?”, “How are we supposed to accomplish what we have been invited to do?”
Then, they do the natural thing. They gather together in the upper room where they were staying and pray. They seek comfort in the presence of God and find themselves close to Christ being in that same place where he broke bread with them one last time. The very place where He instituted the Eucharist is where they return to. Here, possibly in the same room where Christ instituted the Eucharist, for is states the upper room a phrase of familiarity, is where we start to see the formation of the Early Church: a community gathering together immersed in prayer seeking guidance from God. And when they emerge from the upper room they are no longer the same. They become focused and begin to lay the foundation of their ministry.
Throughout the scriptures we are given a window into the humanness of Jesus’ followers and it is not only through their strength that we are able to learn more about our own faith and spirituality. It is more through their shortfalls and weaknesses that we are able to examine ourselves and our relationship with Christ. Many times, we already know what our obligations are and what we have to do. It is our very nature to look ahead: days, weeks, months, and even years. It is not uncommon to have a roadmap before us; a plan already in place. There are some more meticulous than others and there are those who prefer to “shoot from the hip,” so to speak. We have an intellect that we use to experience life before us. When the plan is followed and things run smooth is when we tend to coast; we get into a pattern and that pattern is very comfortable. Comfortable is good.
It is those times when confronted with adversity that some sort of crisis can arise; where faith can be questioned and doubts can be raised. It is here where we can receive our guidance from the Apostles, those before us who faced the most insurmountable challenges imagined. Being human, they too had their own doubts and felt overburdened by what they had to do. In the end, they brought it to prayer and turned it over to God. This we are encouraged to do. Through prayer we can bring clarity to life and its challenges. The simple act of prayer strengthens our relationship with Christ and has that ability to give all of us the support we need to circumvent obstacles and emerge from crisis all the more easily. It offers clarity and a safe-haven, as did the upper room to the Apostles.
But there is another aspect of prayer that cannot be forgotten. And that is prayers of thanks and appreciation. Through these prayers we can remind ourselves of the wonderful gifts that we have been given in our lives. We cannot ignore all the beautiful and glorious things that we have been given and the opportunities unique where we can seek comfort when we need it and love him because of what he has given us. Paul extols us that when we are troubled and are put to the test in matters of our faith to compare ourselves to the suffering Christ and all the more rejoice and celebrate that same faith. We can also bring this into our everyday life, knowing at all times that Christ is with us and loves us. Learn by his example and follow his example. Avoid the pitfalls and temptations of this world and keep the focus on him and his everlasting glory. Christ being central to our faith must also be central in our lives and the lives of our families. The more we live by the virtues of Christ, the more we will be able to shine forth as an example of the Christian Faith.
Christ taught us to pray by praying. He laid before us his own roadmap and plan for us. He prayed for us to the Father and continues to do so. We pray with him in the mass. Here in the mass we have a wonderful, beautiful liturgy that strengthens our faith with its celebration. The Church asks us to look beyond the Liturgy and see what is behind it. Jesus is present with us in this celebration and is praying amongst us. What a beautiful image that is. And what a wonderful truth. He is with us, immersing us with his love. It is sometimes easily to forget that as we go through the motions, but that is the ultimate truth of our faith: Jesus is here and he is also present in the Eucharist. The opportunity is there to feel him and truly be a part of the liturgy, an active participant, and not just an onlooker. It is all in how we approach it.
As Christ himself says, he is glorified within us. We are personally his in a very special way. That will never change.
