Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Readings: Exodus 24.3-8
Hebrews 9.11-15
Mark 14.12-16,22-26.
In today's
Gospel Jesus prepares for the last time with his friends: he knows that the
final moments are upon him. This is to be the last opportunity for him to share
wi8th his followers. Preparations are carefully made; the last meal mist be
celebrated in peace, to savor the gift that will be offered. The gift is a
surprise. Jesus gives himself. Literally. "Take it, this in my body...
This is my blood... I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the
new wine in the kingdom of God"
The close association that Jesus has had with his followers is about to come to an end. That fellowship will be renewed in full only in the kingdom of
God, when they
will all drink a new wine together. Jesus faced the darkness of his last time
by gathering his friends and sharing with them the food of himself. Down the
ages the Christian community has shared that memory as life. That is what we do
today.
The Eucharist is not something we come to watch; rather, it is something we come to do. We gather as a consecrated people to do something together. In the action of the Mass we hold holy the memory of Jesus, we share the bread that is broken, we accept the cup that is held out to us. Week by week throughout the year we strengthen each other by our sharing and our faith, so that all our time is consecrated to the Lord. until the fullness of the kingdom, when we hope to see the Lord face to face, this simple meal has to be enough for us.
We are all seeking God. We all need the witness of each other's love and faith at this simple meal. Sometimes when we are faced with people's needs and look at our won resources we can sit down in a state of depression, believing we have nothing to give. The hunger of people is so vast and our abilities are so small: what can we do? But all care and all ministry is a sharing from poverty. None of us has all the answers, none of us is millionaires in mercy and compassion. We are challenged to be the body of Christ. Jesus shared himself: he gave himself away, he became bread for all who hunger and thirst for the presence of God. And the promise of the Gospel is that if we share our poverty then we too will inherit a kingdom prepared for us from the beginning of the world.
First Holy Communion is Postponed at this time.
THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH PRAYER
To you, O blessed Joseph (Ad te, beate Ioseph)
To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our afflictions, and having implored the help of your most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also.
Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities.
O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be kind to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness.
As once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die in holiness, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen
We want to thank all the parishioners of ST. DOMINIC for their ongoing support during this period of great uncertainty. It has been wonderful to see so many of you at Mass since we re-opened in June. We are especially grateful to the volunteers who have helped ensure our church is a safe place to gather – they have done incredible work!
POPE FRANCIS’S PRAYER TO MARY :
O Mary, you shine continuously in our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the sick. At the foot of the cross you participated in Jesus’ pain, with steadfast faith. You, Salvation of the Roman people, know what we need. We are certain that you will provide, so that as you did at Cana of Galilee, joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to confirm ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us , through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas-we who are put to the test-and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and Blessed Virgin
