VEE: The Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. For me that's it, that's all, that's everything. It is He who brought me back (I'm a revert) and He fully present in the Eucharist that gives what nothing else can. That satisfies all hungers and thirsts for it is Him we thirst for, that I thirsted for, and to receive Him validly, worthily is all I want. I had to move, to change jobs, change my life in order to have a life worthy to receive and so it cost me in a way but the return on investment is out of this world. I give Him my sins, my worthlessness, my stupidity etc and He gives me everything. He gives me Himself. It is the sweetest deal ever.
Who else is at Mass doesn't matter, nor the language of the Mass, nor the music, or if I ever enter Carmel, or anything else. It is Him and me and that is all that matters. I used to use all kinds of things as excuses to not go to Mass. Oh the Church is ugly, the music I can't stand, the people get on my nerves, I don't understand the language etc etc blah blah blah. Jesus knows the situation though and yet He still gives us Himself in the Eucharist. He knew things wouldn't be perfect yet He longs to be with each of us so much that we have this Sacrament. Go for Him. Go worthily (Confession first) and go for Him.
DS: Today I was suprised by a visit from Bishop Flanagan, an old friend of mine I haven't seen in 20 years. He came to dedicate a brand new altar at the Mission Church of St. Joseph where I attended Mass this morning. In the process of dedicating the altar, he stated that he used the same Chrism Oil that they use to consecrate men during Ordination of priesthood, and when they elevate a priest to the office of Bishop. They also use that same oil at Confirmation. And here he was spilling it all over this piece of wood. "What makes this piece of wood so special?" He asked. "It was just a piece of wood, but now it, like the men who's oil this is poured upon at ordination and consecration, is now annointed. It is now consecrated to the Lord. This piece of wood is no longer just a piece of wood, for on it we will celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is now the wood of the Altar of the Cross..."
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. On this day, we are reminded once again on the words of Jesus as spoken in John Chapter 6. He gave Himself to us, His Flesh and Blood to eat and drink. Many of his followers could not accept this, so they abandoned Him. Just like today, many people say they are Christians, yet they refuse to believe Jesus when He says:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” - John 6:53-58
The Catholic Church does not refuse this, we believe what has been given to us from Jesus, handed down to the Apostles and handed down to the Church throughout the ages. We receive Jesus, His Body, Blood Soul and Divinity when we go to Mass and receive the Host. We eat His Flesh and we drink His Blood, and as St. Paul re-affirms, "For His Flesh is Real Food and His Blood Real Drink."
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