A Letter from Fr. Paul - June 23, 2019

Congratulations to Deacon Patric on his ordination this Sunday, June 23rd, at Mother of Good
Council at noon. We will celebrate with him this coming Sunday, June 30th, with a light lunch
reception in the rectory living room/dining room after the 10:30 Mass. Please join him for Mass
and the celebration.
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We still lag far behind in our parish goal for the catholic Stewardship Appeal. These monies help those in need and fund programs that support our parish. We have donated $7, 752 of our goal of $20,000. If you have not yet donated, please do so. Thank you.

This weekend we celebrate Corpus Christi or the Body and Blood of Christ, our last special feast before returning to Luke’s Gospel in “Ordinary” time.

One would expect the Gospel to be an account of the institution of the Eucharist, but it is not; we are given Luke’s version of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.

It is easy to presume that this Gospel was chosen to emphasize that the multiplication foreshadowed the Eucharist. But I think it is chosen to make sure we catch the true meaning of the Eucharist and not be caught up in the externals. It is the same dynamic our readings used on Holy Thursday: the Gospel said nothing about the Eucharist or the institution of the priesthood; we were presented with the washing of feet. In other words, the true meaning of both the Eucharist and priesthood is found in SERVICE, in washing the feet of others. Our Gospel this weekend says nothing about the Body and Blood of Christ, but talks about breaking what we have been given so that it can be shared with others, be it our time, be it our skills and abilities, or be it food and material resources. THAT is what the Eucharist is all about: if we received communion day after day but are not growing in our ability to share with others, as did Jesus, it makes no sense. Do THIS in MEMORY of me! The THIS is not just celebrating the Eucharist: it is living a life of service, as did Jesus.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul is railing against the community because they were celebrating the Eucharist, doing the rituals correctly, but being a loving, sharing, inclusive community; the rich has an abundance and the poor lacked what they needed, even in the meal they were supposed to be having together.

This feast calls us to reflect on how we are celebrating the Eucharist: is it a ritual that we go through or is it food that strengthens us to be more loving and giving to others? Is it helping us grow in our ability to give of ourselves for others, as did Jesus? I invite us to reflect this week on the wonderful gift of the Body and Blood of Christ and ask ourselves how we are using it to grow in service to others. And let us support each other in prayer.

-- Paul James Portland, SDS