Chew On It
I think of all my friends I see
at mass, amazingly so different. All of them live in a different circumstance
of their life. They come to mass because they believe in Christ.
So ask yourself, what do you
believe? What gift did Jesus give to truly let us know him? It’s something we can touch, something we can
have faith in, something that will change us?
A lot of Christians and probably
a lot of Catholic Christians would say the Bible. Yes, you can touch the Bible.
You can have faith in the Gospel; and, it’s something that can definitely
change us. The Bible is a gift from God; but, Jesus didn’t write the Bible.
The gift Jesus left us is the
Eucharist; the precious gift of his Body and Blood.
The Eucharist is something you
can touch, “He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to
them.
It is something we can have faith
in, “This is my blood of the covenant, which was shed for many,”
It is something that can change
us, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever,
eats this bread will live forever.”
Jesus gave us the Eucharist as an
outward and visible sign of God’s grace. It was given to us as a celebration in
thanksgiving for God grace.
A lot of Christians will say I
believe in the Bible, I believe in Jesus; but, it’s hard for me to believe the
Eucharist is the true body and true blood of Christ.
It’s always been something hard
to accept; this concept of the Body and Blood of Christ. “My flesh is true food
my blood is true drink... When many of the disciples heard this, they found
this teaching difficult to accept…. Because of this many of his disciples
turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:55-66) This was the only time Jesus’
followers abandoned because of dogma.
The world is the same way today. We
decide if we want to believe. We make a conscious decision to believe Jesus or
not. We follow him or leave him. We don’t understand so we take another path. The
mysteries of God are hard to understand but we are to trust in the Lord.
It’s easier to believe what the
world tells us. It’s said 71% of
former Catholics left the Catholic Church for another denomination
saying their spiritual needs were not being met. Others left because the Church
doesn’t fit their life style. Many want to map out life from a control room in
our head, picking and choosing circumstance. Changing God to a god in an image they
need.
Jesus never changed. Jesus never condemns. He just
asks us to believe.
I think of all my friends I see
at mass, amazingly so different. All of them live in a different circumstance
of their life. They come to mass because they believe in Christ.
Read the Bible, open your eyes
and open your heart. The Gospel converted
thousands. It was the Good News of God spread by the apostles, disciples, and
deacons in the story of Jesus. They told others about the promise of salvation found
in his Body and Blood. They did what Jesus told them to do to prove their love.
“If anyone loves me he will keep my word.” (John 14:23)
On this Solemnity of the most
holy Body and Blood of Christ remember the precious gift of the Eucharist left
to us by Jesus Christ. It is the Good News of Jesus Christ. We can touch and
even chew on it. It becomes part of us to change us and that is something we
can have faith in.
Celebrate the body, blood, soul
and divinity of Christ. “We will do as the Lord told us,” because we love him
and keep his word.
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