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From the Pastor
From the Pastor
June 14, 2026
Last weekend, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, (Corpus Christi). It reminds all of us of the immeasurable, merciful love of God, who becomes the food and drink of salvation for humanity!
We Catholics believe that the Eucharist - Communion – is truly the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, completely and substantially present in the form of bread and wine. The Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.
To the world, this seems ludicrous, but to the faithful, it is the reality. It is salvation.
We are called to receive the precious Body and Blood of Christ and to then become what we have received. We are called to move away from the self-centered ways of the world to embrace the selfless, other-centered love of Jesus Christ: in other words, to become what we have received.
Understanding all of this, we need to be fully prepared to receive this precious gift. The Church reminds us to prepare our hearts and our minds to encounter Christ.
Unfortunately, as happens in many things, the more we do something, the less of an impact it has upon us. The same is true of the reception of communion, and we have to work to remember what it is that we are doing and who it is that we are receiving.
Our preparation needs to begin as we come to Mass. Turn off your phone, put it away, or leave it in the car when you enter the church. Participate fully in the liturgy by singing and joining in the prayers and responses of the Mass. As communion approaches, turn off your mind to everything except the presence of Jesus Christ. Thoughts about where you are going after Mass, or how long it will take, or “we need to leave early” really do not show a true belief in the presence of Christ.
And, as you come up for Communion, focus exclusively on the gift of the Eucharist that you are about to receive. Talking to your neighbors in line is not appropriate.
The same is true after you receive. Often people who have just received, and maybe have not even swallowed, the precious sacrament begin a conversation with the person in front of them. Sometimes they shake hands with someone they pass. What could possibly be more important than understanding that Christ is now present within you? Saying hello at that moment to another person is inconsequential compared to who has just entered into your person.
When you come up to communion, the Church asks you to bow to the presence of Christ – or even genuflect – to show your reverence and devotion to God. Then you are asked to receive Christ either by presenting your tongue or by placing one hand under the other to prayerfully place the Lord in your mouth. Step to the side, bless yourself, and allow yourself to be in awe of the sacred presence within you! As you return to your pew, give thanks to God for such great a gift. Walking out of the church while you are consuming the Blessed Sacrament as you think about rushing to your next event doesn’t really show respect or an understanding of the sacred presence of Christ.
Unfortunately, we have recently found half consumed pieces of the Blessed Sacrament in various places through out our churches, on the floor or even in the pages of hymn books. If someone is at Mass with you that does not share our belief in the sacred Body and Blood of Christ, please ask them to not receive but to ask for a blessing instead.
This happens at funerals and weddings as well. People want to be seen or simply to offer their condolences at a funeral, so they come up to receive communion—and immediately walk to the family in the front pew to offer their condolences! That is not the time to talk to anyone except God, whom you have just received. Offer your condolences after the Mass or with a special visit.
Non-Catholics sometimes are confused as to what they should do – especially at a funeral or a wedding. If they are not part of the Church, they cannot receive the Blessed Sacrament. And when they attempt to, they have no idea what to do or, even worse, what they are receiving. I have seen people place the sacred Host in their pocket or carry it back to the pew. Then the priest or Eucharistic minister has to follow the person and ask them to return the host. And when it is not seen, that’s when the host is left in the pew or in a hymnal.
Fr Tom and I, in discussion with other ministers in the parish, have decided that we will make an announcement at all funerals and weddings to try to prevent any mishaps or embarrassments.
What and how and why we are receiving the Eucharist is of utmost importance. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes to us in the form of bread and wine. There can be nothing casual or unthoughtful of receiving God into our very person.
Let us all do what we can to spread an understanding and respect for the Eucharist to all that we meet.
Faith Like a Child
If you Google Search recommendations on how to raise generous children, almost every list of ideas begins with — or at least contains — the directive for adults to be good models of generosity themselves. Our children learn from our actions much more than from our words. Of course, when I think back over the years while my children were growing up, I think I may have learned as much from them as they learned from me. There is a time between early childhood and middle school where a child seems to be freer to give and share than at any other time in life. It is around the age of First Communion when the cries of “mine” turn to laughter and smiles, and the urge to be a part of something bigger than oneself leads to sharing. Before you know it, the child hits the pre-teen years, and once again, he or she becomes the center of the universe. I believe that the previous paragraph is all true, however, the stages described seem to repeat themselves throughout adulthood. Don’t you agree? Sometimes we fall into seeing ourselves as the center of the universe, or we become consumed by our state in life or with what we have acquired. Also, we at times are generous and loving people. It is sin that draws us back into ourselves and away from any meaningful life of stewardship and generosity. In order to be freed for love, we need role models to help us see what really matters. We need to reflect on the example of many of our brothers and sisters in Christ. And, yes, we need to look to children who may be at the point in their lives where sharing is fun, and love is something in abundance.
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