The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
VOCATION: Jesus Risen from the dead and Son of god gives Himself to us in Holy Communion with his Body and Blood... He reveals the Father to us, and fills us with the Holy Spirit, the Consoler....
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What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version
My sisters! My brothers! What is your relationship with the Good God, with God the Father? What is your relationship with Jesus? What has been your experience of the Holy Spirit? What has been your experience of Holy Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ?
For my part, I recall having been impressed by the image of Jesus in his manger near Mary and Joseph when I was around 7 years old. Then the image of Jesus suffering on the cross touched me a lot. At my confirmation, I was 8 years old, and I remember feeling a presence next to me, but I did not yet know that it was the Holy Spirit, the Defender.
The next day, when I confessed my sins for the first time, I felt the love and forgiveness of God. On the third day, when I received Jesus in my first Holy Communion, I felt a warmth of love in my child’s heart. All these experiences were not yet conscious; I was only a little boy. I only became aware of all these experiences 20 years later, while I was on a weekend retreat for young adults, when the priest invited us to recall our experiences of God and to reflect on them so that we might begin to understand their meaning.
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”
So far, those were my early experiences of Jesus. Now, for God the Father, at 12 years old I noticed that, at my age, one day Jesus remained alone in the Temple. When Mary and Joseph found Him after 3 days, asking Him why He had caused them so much worry, Jesus answered: “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” Suddenly I became aware of God the Father and that He is also my Father.
A year later, in my first year of high school – at the time that was 8th grade – I was 13 years old, and they had us begin to pray a prayer to the Holy Spirit for the beginning and success of Vatican Council II in Rome. It was September, 1962. That’s when I became aware of the Holy Spirit and I began to pray the Holy Spirit more during the following years. You can see from these impressions I’m sharing that God reveals Himself to us personally, and it takes time.
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”
Let’s have a look now at what we have heard this morning from the Word of God. First, we see Abram who, after a military victory, gives thanks to God for his success and makes Him in thanksgiving an offering of one tenth of all his profit from the military campaign.
Second, we hear Saint Paul give witness to Jesus’ testament: before He dies, Jesus leaves us this mysterious meal in which He gives us his own life as nourishment: his Body and Blood through the instruments of the bread and wine to be transformed by his words of blessing.
Third, we see Jesus responding to his Apostles who are concerned for the crowd famished after following Jesus for three days. Jesus said the blessing on the 5 loaves and 2 fish, thereby accelerating their natural multiplication which normally takes place in the fields and in the sea. Jesus demonstrates that He is the Creator.
God loves us, and He invites us to trust in Him, to give Him thanks for all the benefits we receive in everyday life. The Father invites us to trust in Jesus his Son, the Christ, our Lord, and to trust also in the Holy Spirit. God, the Most Holy Trinity, unceasingly offers us life, but never imposes. It is up to us to accept. When I open my spirit in prayer, I accept the Presence of God in me. When I confess my sins to Jesus’ priest, Jesus listens, counsels me, and forgives me. When I receive Holy Communion, Jesus gives Himself to me to nourish me. At every moment, the Holy Spirit shines his light in me, reminds me of Jesus’ words, and helps me to understand.
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”
God the Holy Trinity is our Creator who knows us, loves us, and reveals Himself to us, and it is often in silence that God comes to gently touch our spirit in our depths within us. We need to make silence within us as often as possible. Let us make this interior silence; and gently give this example to our children to help them to also come to know the Good God.
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”
Jesus will show us the Father; we will taste the love of God for us. During the Mass, the priest lends his voice to Jesus who prays his Father and offers his life to the Father for us. By and by, in the love of God the Father and of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will manifest Himself to us.
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”
“Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Suzanne, pray for us. Father, we give You thanks. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Holy Spirit, enlighten us. Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to help us to
know Jesus and our heavenly Father.
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