Dear friends,
Last weekend I was all set to reflect with you on Pope Francis’ letter to the Grandparents and the Elderly, but, I did not want to miss the presence of Fr. Brendan McAleer C.S.C. and to hear him talk to us about his ministry of recruiting Vocations to the Congregation of Holy Cross. It was lovely to have him with us.
I thank him for sharing his reflections and assure him of our prayers for the success of his ministry and also pray for our own young men and women that they might attune themselves to the whispers of God calling them to serve him. Meanwhile hold your breath, I will still do the presentation on Grandparents and the Elderly very soon as they have a special place in our hearts.
I am so very grateful to Jeff and Lydia Swalchick, the recipients of the Family of the Month Award in July 2021. Thanks to them for all that they do to keep our SJE family vibrant.
As you can see from last weekend (17th Sunday Year B) we are taking a break from the Gospel of Mark in order to focus on John’s Gospel especially dealing with the most important theme of “Bread of Life Discourse” found in chapter 6 of John. Please pay close attention to this breathtaking chapter and relish the conversation between Jesus and his disciples and the vast crowd that came to listen to him.
Please save the Date: 25th and 26th September 2021. Do not go anywhere. It is going to be days of parish celebrations.
As we continue the summer months of leisure and relaxation, I ask that you read a few paragraphs each weekend from Section Two, Article 3 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Sacrament of the Eucharist, as we reflect together and begin to more fully appreciate this precious and invaluable gift.
ARTICLE 3: THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
III. THE EUCHARIST IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION
"Do this in memory of me"
1341 The command of Jesus to repeat his actions and words "until he comes" does not only ask us to remember Jesus and what he did. It is directed at the liturgical celebration, by the apostles and their successors, of the memorial of Christ, of his life, of his death, of his Resurrection, and of his intercession in the presence of the Father (Cf. 2 Cor 11:26).
1342 From the beginning the Church has been faithful to the Lord's command. Of the Church of Jerusalem it is written: They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers....... Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts (Acts 2:42,46).
1343 It was above all on "the first day of the week," Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection, that the Christians met "to break bread" (Acts 20:7). From that time on down to our own day the celebration of the Eucharist has been continued so that today we encounter it everywhere in the Church with the same fundamental structure. It remains the center of the Church's life.
1344 Thus from celebration to celebration, as they proclaim the Paschal mystery of Jesus "until he comes," the pilgrim People of God advances, "following the narrow way of the cross" (AG 1; cf. 1 Cor 11:26), toward the heavenly banquet, when all the elect will be seated at the table of the kingdom.
With love, Fr. John