A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
Last week, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, which is the basic belief of Christian faith. This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), which is the core center of our Catholic Faith.
Instead of asking questions on how these most holy mysteries function, we could inquire why these solemnities are celebrated. Many theologians have written volumes on how the Trinity could be understood and how Christ is present in these two species: bread and wine and how the transubstantiation happens in the holy Mass.
Let us reflect on the question “Why is Christ present in bread and wine?” This is my simple answer:
First, bread and wine are the simple, staple foods of the Israelites. Jesus wanted to leave His presence with us in the most ordinary, essential items of our daily lives.
Second, once food is consumed, it becomes integrated into our own body and blood. Just as food gets integrated with one’s body, Jesus would like to become integrated with humanity.
Simplicity and integration are the two reasons why Christ chose to leave His presence in the form of bread and wine. We as His followers, are called to be simple and integrated into Him and with others in faith. With the recent Eucharistic revival in our country, we witness that simplicity and integration are now happening. Compared to previous years, last year many more people became new Catholics, and an increased number of people attended Eucharistic Adoration regularly. Jesus made the Eucharist simple for us so that we all could integrate ourselves with Him. Come let us adore Him!
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
- Reading 1: Deuteronomy 8: 2-3, 14b-16a
- Reading 2: 1 Corinthians 10: 16-17
- Gospel: John 6: 51-58
