Pastor’s Pen
St. Augustine Catholic Church
Sunday, June 6, 2021
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Dear Church Family,
We celebrate a miracle almost every day at the Family of St. Augustine when at mass we say Jesus’ words that He proclaimed for us to repeat, “This is My Body, this is My Blood, given up for you.” Truly we do have a miracle every day when we say those sacred words and twice on Sunday. So, I am glad to celebrate this very wonderful day of awareness when Jesus comes to us in His Body and Blood which we take and eat and drink and we are drawn closer to our God, Alleluia.
In the Book of Esther, we have the story of the Israelites with Moses and the young men offering a peace offering to the Lord. Then as they committed themselves to the Lord in saying Yes. They said that all that the Lord has said we will eat and do. Then Moses took the blood and splashed some of it on the altar and then on the people. We use that symbol of Jesus’ offering Himself, His Body and Blood of Passion and Death leading to the grand miracle of the Resurrection. Alleluia! So, in response to that reading, how appropriate it is, to say, “I will take the Cup of Salvation and call on the Name of the Lord!” Alleluia!!
Then, Church, we have in the Letter to the Hebrews, the story of Jesus offering His own Blood as a sacrificial offering of Himself which will claim eternal redemption for all of us. He simply says,“…For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, 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 loving God.’ Amen. Alleluia!!!
So, you can see again the symbol of the Old Testament offerings and Jesus giving us Himself. Then we get the miracle of Himself, each time we celebrate mass. Just to reflect on that is worth all the Love that the Lord has for us. Giving Himself in remembrance every day we can celebrate this great sacrament of Jesus with us.
So now in the Gospel, we have the words of the Lord, telling us of the great miracle of Himself being with us as the Bread and the Wine which are now the Body and Blood of Christ being a miracle for us today. So it is good just to listen again to these sacred words, as we quote the Gospel of Mark, “ While they were eating, He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then He took the 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. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Again, we say, humbly over and over again, “Thank you, Lord; Thank you, Lord; THANK YOU, LORD!!! Amen.
Love, Fr. Bob
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