Today our Catholic Church celebrates and emphasizes the sacredness of the Real Presence of Christ in the Body and Blood consecrated at the Mass. Unlike many of the Christian denominations, we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in our Eucharistic meal: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is Christ who suffered, died and Rose from the dead for our salvation. It is Christ—and none other—who said, “Take this all of you and eat of it; for this IS my Body which will be given up for you.”
In today’s Gospel for the Solemnity of The Most Holy Trinity, Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tella you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will guide you to all Truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.” What does it mean for the first disciples who then hear Jesus say that “there is much more to tell you, but that you cannot bear it now?”
Come to the “Glasses for Haiti, Putting a Lens on Poverty” pasta dinner on Friday, May 20th in Russell Hall, starting at 6:30 p.m. Join us for a delicious traditional Italian pasta dinner for friends, family and parishioners and at the same time come help support the “Glasses for Haiti” project to help meet our goal of raising a total of $15,000 to outfit the people of Port-au-Prince, Haiti with eye glasses. Haitian beverages will be served!
Over the last few weekends my homilies have attempted to illustrate the opportunities we are given to cooperate with God in our world. Last weekend we heard how mothers and fathers—in their parental role modeling—are partnering with God in both the creation of and the raising of their children—the theological understanding of Christian marriage. In fact as we celebrated First Holy Communion and Mother’s Day we clearly see the power of passing on the faith through believing it, living it, and sharing it with our families as we continue and fulfill God’s plan of salvation.
I just wanted to say a word of appreciation to those involved with our Confirmation last Saturday, 30 April. First to the parents of the Confirmands: I was truly amazed at the respect and reverence of these young women and men. From my birds-eye-view from sanctuary your sons and daughters were respectful of the Mass and ritual, one-and-all said the prayers and responses.
The New American Bible defines The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, in terms of various roles: Teacher, counselor, witness, mediator, and more. Sometimes we are told jokes that begin with an introduction such as, "A lawyer, a doctor and a teacher walk into a bar…" and then there is a punchline, funny or not. But in today’s Gospel, we could almost introduce the Holy Spirit in terms of various professions—but it wouldn’t be a joke, for the implications are far too serious for our eternal life.