Fr. Joeven Matugas sx
Fr. Joeven Matugas, sx
Today is in our Church we celebrate the solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
This feast can be fully understood when we look on Jesus hanging on the cross. His body was crucified and died and his precious blood came out from his side. This is mysterious. This is our Lord.
Secondly, it is the Eucharist that we celebrate every day. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During the Mass, the bread and the wine become his real Body and Blood. We partake of them.
The sufferings of life – the torment, the condemnation, the persecution, the darkness, the confusion, the troubles – these are what is meant as the Body and Blood of the Lord: The encounter with real ordinary experiences here on earth, and we offer them to God as a living sacrifice.
Jesus made this pronouncement during the Passover with his disciples: He took the bread – blessed it – gave it to them – “Take it, this is my body”. Then he took the cup – gave thanks – gave it to them – “This is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, poured out for many. (Mk. 14:25-26). Jesus meant to say: take me, own me, absorb me, consume me, and you will be one with me.
As missionaries, as servants of the Lord, we experience hardships in our ministry. We meet with confrontations, dis-ease, unpleasant happenings, doubt, unresolved issues, internal struggles and conflicts. On the other hand, also joys, peace, gratefulness, consolation, good relationships, blessings, rewards, triumph over sins and temptations. These are the cup that we take and drink and the bread that we eat that gives us satisfaction and contentment.
John Ronald Revel Tolkien, an English writer and university professor, wrote, “Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament …there you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity and the true way of all your losses on earth ..the only cure for sagging or fainting faith is communion. Though always itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the Blessed Sacrament does not operate fully and once for all in any of us. Like the act of faith it must be ongoing and growing through exercise. Frequency is the highest effect. Seven times a week is more than seven times at interval”. (from God`s Word 2020. Daily Reflections. St. Paul’s)
Fr. Joeven Matugas, sx
Today is in our Church we celebrate the solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
This feast can be fully understood when we look on Jesus hanging on the cross. His body was crucified and died and his precious blood came out from his side. This is mysterious. This is our Lord.
Secondly, it is the Eucharist that we celebrate every day. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During the Mass, the bread and the wine become his real Body and Blood. We partake of them.
The sufferings of life – the torment, the condemnation, the persecution, the darkness, the confusion, the troubles – these are what is meant as the Body and Blood of the Lord: The encounter with real ordinary experiences here on earth, and we offer them to God as a living sacrifice.
Jesus made this pronouncement during the Passover with his disciples: He took the bread – blessed it – gave it to them – “Take it, this is my body”. Then he took the cup – gave thanks – gave it to them – “This is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, poured out for many. (Mk. 14:25-26). Jesus meant to say: take me, own me, absorb me, consume me, and you will be one with me.
As missionaries, as servants of the Lord, we experience hardships in our ministry. We meet with confrontations, dis-ease, unpleasant happenings, doubt, unresolved issues, internal struggles and conflicts. On the other hand, also joys, peace, gratefulness, consolation, good relationships, blessings, rewards, triumph over sins and temptations. These are the cup that we take and drink and the bread that we eat that gives us satisfaction and contentment.
John Ronald Revel Tolkien, an English writer and university professor, wrote, “Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament …there you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity and the true way of all your losses on earth ..the only cure for sagging or fainting faith is communion. Though always itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the Blessed Sacrament does not operate fully and once for all in any of us. Like the act of faith it must be ongoing and growing through exercise. Frequency is the highest effect. Seven times a week is more than seven times at interval”. (from God`s Word 2020. Daily Reflections. St. Paul’s)