Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Last week we celebrated a great mystery of our faith, the Holy Trinity. In our exploration of this unfathomable truth, we found at its foundation immense, unmeasurable love. The feast we celebrate today, the Body and Blood of Christ, is equally mysterious and likewise rooted in the same deep, unimaginable love. Jesus loves us so much that He offers Himself, His own flesh and blood, as He says in the Gospel reading, to feed the hungry world.
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, wrote, “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.” (Evangelii Gaudium 47) Our regular partaking of the Eucharist strengthens us for the journey to heaven and draws us around a common table with others who believe in the power of Christ. The Body and Blood of Christ are entirely a gift – a grace-filled meal. We cannot earn our place at the Eucharistic table, nor can we lose our seat. Jesus sat amongst saints and sinners at the Last Supper and throughout His earthly ministry. He welcomed all to come and join the feast – and He continues to welcome us today.
We are in a period of time in our national Church in the United States known as the Eucharistic Revival. This three year period is an opportunity for discernment, encounter, and growth. We are invited to kindle, or perhaps rekindle, a living, loving relationship with Jesus Christ and be united again around the Eucharist.
Today, I reflect on the fact that is has been my privilege to be part of the Eucharistic celebration as a priest for the past forty-five years. Despite the countless occasions I have celebrated Mass in that time, this truly awesome mystery never fails to humble and inspire me. The realization of my vocation, my call to the priesthood, would not have been possible for 45 days, let alone 45 years, without the comfort and strength I personally derive from the Eucharist. It has been the most powerful medicine for me, as our Holy Father says, and a source of nourishment in moments of sorrow and joy, strength and weakness. It is my sincere hope and desire that you too may find courage, comfort, and fulfillment in the source and summit of our faith, the Eucharist.
I wish you and your loved ones blessings of good health, new hope, and true peace,