This Sunday we acknowledge our Catholic Identity to its fullest on this Solemnity of the Church: the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This embodies our Catho-lic Identity to the fullest because the Roman Catholic Church, founded by Christ and given to Peter as the “Rock upon which I will build my church,” holds to what we call the Apostolic na-ture of the Church—and unbroken line of popes from Peter to Francis, upon which the authority of Christ rests. It is by this Apostolic tradition, that we acknowledge the True Presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist—the Sacrament of Uni-ty—and which binds our present-day Church to Christ’s founding.

So what does this mean to us as Catholics as we cele-brate Mass? Well, it means that while Holy Communion may happen every weekend, in fact each and every time the Catholic Mass is celebrated, we are partaking not in just a memorial or a reenactment of The Last Supper but rather exactly what happened on that Holy Thursday some 2,000 years ago—happens AGAIN at every Mass. The words of Consecration are spoken by the ordained priest, the congregation in reverence and belief enter into dialogue with God, and the power of the Holy Spirit of God makes His Sacred Body and Blood present for us: to nourish us, strengthen us, reconcile us, and draw us closer to Him; He forgives us all our weaknesses and bring us closer to Himself in our daily lives, so in this great journey of Hope and Love, which ultimately lead us to be more like in Him in our image and likeness—caring for others, standing up for His truths—thus preparing us for entrance into His Divine Life forever.

So how do we—you and I—approach the altar of Communion? This is not just a question to ask ourselves as an aside as we come to Church on Sunday—but as we walk down the aisle for Holy Communion—to ask ourselves: are we ready—physically and spiritually—to receive the Lord our God into our bodies, into our very lives? Am I free to receive Him— He who was, is, and shall always Be? Have I forgiven the ones who have offended me, and to whom I have offended…have I asked for forgiveness? Have I reconciled myself to God’s love and mercy by confessing my sins? Have I been a true brother or sister to another in need? Do I love as He loves—do I even try to? What kind of fruit do I bear in this world and what will I bring with me to the gates of Heaven? Do I show God the respect He deserves…do I receive this gift of Communion or do I just grab it, do I say “Amen!” to the words spoken, “The Body, the Blood…of Christ,” do I have gum in my mouth, do I approach with awe and respect…do I return to my pew and ponder what God is doing for me, how much He loves me—or do I rush out to the next event of the day before the Mass has concluded? What do my actions say about respect? Serious questions certainly,
but ones that we ultimately will have to answer as we stand be-fore the Lord. Let us use Sunday—every Mass—to consider these questions, and in His Good Grace, recognize that it is never too late to start anew on our journey toward joining-in in His Divine Life forever. God Is Good!