Eucharist

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042415.cfm) reminds me how important and powerful the Holy Eucharist is.

I know someone who said that if we go to mass everyday, our sins will be less and we will be better, nicer persons. In essence, this is true but not just because of attending mass, but more importantly because of the Eucharist in mass.

We don’t consume the Eucharist, it is actually the Eucharist that consumes and transforms us.

We catholics believe that the Eucharist is the actual body and blood of Christ, and as we partake of it in mass, we partake of Christ. In the gospel, we see Jesus telling us that whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains In me and I in him. In essence, whoever takes the Eucharist takes Jesus inside not only their bodies, but in their lives as well.

In the first reading, we see someone who had Jesus in him. When Saul was converted, he had Jesus in him. He welcomed Jesus in his life, and as a result, he tirelessly professed the faith. He tirelessly worked to procaim God’s kingdom. That encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus transformed Saul, from a persecutor of christians to one of the greatest servant of God.

If we take Jesus seriously, if we welcome him in our hearts and in our lives, especially in the Holy Eucharist, our lives will be transformed. We will be better. We will be more like Him. And we will have life eternal with him.

Father God

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another weekend coming up. Lord, thank you for the reminder. Thank you for reminding me how important and powerful the Holy Eucharist is. I ask that as I consume you, you take your place in my heart and in my life. Consume and transform me. use me like you used Paul and other people to bring you to the world. help me prepare myself and be worthy to receive you. Amen.

Blessed Friday!

In Christ,

-g-

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April 24, 2015

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

Lectionary: 277

Reading 1 Acts 9:1-20

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,

went to the high priest and asked him

for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,

if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,

he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.

On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,

a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

He said, “Who are you, sir?”

The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,

for they heard the voice but could see no one.

Saul got up from the ground,

but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;

so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.

For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,

and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”

He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”

The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight

and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.

He is there praying,

and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias

come in and lay his hands on him,

that he may regain his sight.”

But Ananias replied,

“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,

what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.

And here he has authority from the chief priests

to imprison all who call upon your name.”

But the Lord said to him,

“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine

to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,

and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”

So Ananias went and entered the house;

laying his hands on him, he said,

“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,

Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,

that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes

and he regained his sight.

He got up and was baptized,

and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.

He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,

and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,

that he is the Son of God.

Responsorial Psalm PS 117:1bc, 2

R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, all you nations;

glorify him, all you peoples!

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R. Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,

and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Jn 6:56

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood,

remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 6:52-59

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,

“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”

Jesus said to them,

“Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,

you do not have life within you.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood

has eternal life,

and I will raise him on the last day.

For my Flesh is true food,

and my Blood is true drink.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood

remains in me and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent me

and I have life because of the Father,

so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven.

Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,

whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum