THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST (C)
23rd June 2019


Dear Parishioner,

The last two precious gifts given to us by Jesus are the Holy Eucharist as our spiritual food on Holy Thursday and Jesus' mother Mary as our spiritual Mother on Good Friday. Corpus Christi is the celebration of the abiding presence of a loving God as Emmanuel - God-with-us - in order to give collective thanks to our Lord for his living with us in the Eucharist.

We believe in the "Real Presence" of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist because 1) Jesus promised it after miraculously feeding the 5000. 2) Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist during his Last Supper. 3) Jesus commanded his disciples to repeat it in his memory. 4) "Nothing is impossible for God."

We explain the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist by: the term "transubstantiation" which means that the substance of the consecrated bread and wine is changed to the substance of the risen Jesus' glorified Body and Blood by the action of the Holy Spirit, while its accidents (like colour, shape, taste etc.), remain the same.

Today's Gospel describes Jesus' miraculous feeding of five thousand people by multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish. Theologically, this feeding is a prefiguring of Jesus' gift of the Eucharistic bread that would spiritually nourish those who believe in him.

Let us therefore appreciate the "Real Presence" of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, by receiving Him with true repentance for our sins, due preparation and reverence and spending time adoring him in the Blessed Sacrament.

SEND, O LORD: HOLY APOSTLES INTO YOUR CHURCH

Fr Sabu Pariyadan RCJ


Notices:

Please remember to pray for:

Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese

The sick and housebound

Those who have recently died

Years Mind:
Sunday: Fr Edward Thomas
Wednesday: Canon James Dacey
Saturday: Fr James Hawes


Next Sunday: SS PETER & PAUL

First Reading: Acts 12:1-11
Now I know the Lord really did save me from Herod.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18
All there is to come is the crown of righteousness reserved for me.

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
You are Peter and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.