St. Joseph the Worker

Parishioners of SJW:

What a wonderful Solemnity we celebrate this weekend!  That of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  How privileged we are in the Roman Catholic Church to be able to receive THE Body and THE Blood of Christ. 

Yes, a privilege.  Our Catholic belief is that in Communion we receive the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, not a mere sign or symbol, but the actual Body and Blood.  This flows from the Last Supper, when Jesus told his apostles, as they were seated at table: “Take this, all of you, and eat.  This is my Body.”  And after the supper: “Take this all of you and drink.  This is my Blood.”  That one little word, “is,” is a very important one.  What goes before it and after it is the same.  So---Communion IS the Body and Blood of Christ.  Period. 

Now, HOW does this happen?  It is a miracle each time it occurs.  Through the priest, our Lord makes simple bread and wine into HIS BODY and HIS BLOOD.  We call that action transubstantiation.  The important thing is not HOW it occurs, but THAT it occurs.  We don’t need to fully understand the miracle; our job is to BELIEVE it.  And to see the great gift that awaits us each time we gather at Mass to receive Communion and be “in communion” with God and one another. 

The Eucharist is not something we should ever disregard or take for granted.  The Catholic Church calls the Eucharist “the source and summit of our faith.”  And how true!  Nothing puts us more into contact and closer to Jesus than when we partake of His Body and Blood at Mass.  Why would anyone not be at Mass each weekend to partake of this great gift?  Again---why would a baptized Catholic not take advantage of this miraculous sacrament? 

Your Pastor,

Father Joe

P.S.  Today is Father’s Day in our country.  A special THANK YOU to all those men in our parish who are dads in any way.  Your faith example, sacrifice, love, nurturing, care, guidance, and formation are so needed for your children and others.  May St. Joseph, the patron saint of all fathers, intercede for you today and every day.  Keep being the great dads that God intends you to be!