June 14, 2020

Post date: Jun 15, 2020 1:58:46 AM

June 14, 2020 Homily by Fr. Karl Schray

The Eucharist is Jesus’ going away gift to us. And what a gift!

His divine presence, his abiding love, our spiritual nourishment to grow on.

He wants to be inside us. Can we ever take this for granted?

Sometimes Mass becomes rote ritual which makes us lazy or

even careless. We go through the motions. But I suspect that

during the last 3 months we have re-learned the need for the Mass,

the hunger for the Eucharist and communion with one another.

Do we really recognize the truth that Jesus is present in Holy Communion?

St. Paul said, ‘The cup of blessing that we bless,

is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?

The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the Body of Christ?

Immediately after the consecration of bread and wine

into Jesus’ Body and Blood, there is another consecration for all of us.

The priest prays these words:

‘Grant that we who are nourished by His Body and Blood, may be filled

with his Holy Spirit and become one body, one spirit in Christ.

Therefore, we come here not just to receive Jesus in Holy Communion,

but also, to be in communion with one another here present,

with the whole Body of Christ.

When St. Augustine gave Holy Communion he said,

‘Receive what you are—the Body of Christ.

Jesus says, “I am the living bread…whoever eats this bread will live forever.” What an incredible promise!

Let us pray St. Thomas Aquinas’ prayer before the Blessed Sacrament:

O Sacrament most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!”