On Eucharist and Stewardship

Happy Solemnity of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ!

Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
  The First Letter of St. Paul to the Church in Corinth 10:16-17

Oh the mystery of transubstantiation!

From my very lay perspective, I can only share that I was confirmed as a Congregationalist. We had communion four times a year with cubed Wonder Bread and grape juice. The emphasis was on “do this in remembrance of me” and ignored everything else the Gospels and Letters said about Eucharist. Two things that attracted me to Catholicism were the centrality of communion and the importance of social justice.

The Readings from Paul over the last three weeks, whether from The Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday or Eucharist Sunday, have been about the unity of the Christian Community through the crucifixion, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the sharing of the Body and Blood. The Eucharist is central to our faith; it is what holds our community together. For those of us who are still watching from home, please come back into the House of the Lord!

Peace! Amen!