Even though we are in Ordinary Time liturgically, we have been celebrating two Solemnities at our Sunday Masses. Last week it was The Most Holy Trinity. This week it is The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, better known in Latin as Corpus Christi. This Solemnity celebrates the fact that we are a Eucharistic people. We celebrate the Eucharist at every Mass. First there is the Liturgy of the Word and then with the presentation and preparation of the gifts we celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This is a celebration of the Last Supper and the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Our altar serves as a table and as an altar for sacrifice.
In today's readings there is a lot of blood. In our first reading from Exodus, Moses uses blood as a peace offering to the Lord. He uses it as a sign to seal the Covenant of the people with God. He actually sprinkles blood on all the people. "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his." Aren't you glad we sprinkle with just holy water! Our second reading continues this theme of blood: "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant." Our first two readings then tell us about the sacrifice of blood, first of animals and then of Jesus. At Mass we remember the blood sacrifice Jesus offered on the cross. Our Gospel swings the theme to the Last Supper. "While they were eating , he took bread, and said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, 'Take it; this is my body.' Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.'" Thus, Jesus gave us the sacrament of the Eucharist, his Body and Blood, as food and drink for the journey of life.
This Friday we celebrate another Solemnity, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 11, 2021. The Sacred Heart is the Patron of the Priests of Holy Cross. Through his Sacred Heart Jesus is always calling us to his love. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
I will be out of town from June 11 - 25, attending the Chapter of my province of Holy Cross. The chapter will be at our King's College in PA. It is a gathering of 55 priests and brothers to determine the future of Holy Cross here in the US and in different parts of the world. Please keep us all in your prayers. If there is an emergency, please call Deacon Mel. Two different priests will be celebrating Mass here at St. Augustine, Fathers Jim Bracke and Larry Henry. Please give them a kind welcome. They both live with me at Fatima.
Please keep me in your prayers. I will pray for you, too.