Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi also known as the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. This is truly a very important feast in the Church because it celebrates, that is, calls to mind the REAL PRESENCE of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The words that Jesus spoke at the Last Supper the night before He died on the cross for us and the words that the priest repeats at every Mass clearly teach us that the bread and wine BECOME the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is no sign or symbol. It is the REAL PRESENCE of Jesus, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. This is the same Jesus who was conceived by Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit, the same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, the same Jesus who was baptized by John in the Jordan, the same Jesus who cured the sick, forgave sinners, raised the dead to life, suffered and died on the cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. This is the same Jesus who remains with us until the end of the ages and the same Jesus who will come again in glory!
The Holy Eucharist or the Blessed Sacrament is the center jewel of our wonderful Catholic Faith. In our parish we are extremely blessed to have the opportunity to pray before the Blessed Sacrament any time we desire since our Chapel of Divine Mercy is open 24 hours a day/seven days a week. This blessing is made possible through the commitment of many good people who have committed themselves to a Holy Hour each week. If you ask anyone who makes a Holy Hour each week, you will find out what a blessing that hour is for them in their daily lives. Our Lord is waiting for us to come to Him and spend some time with Him in the Chapel of Divine Mercy. Are we too busy to spend some time with Him? Indeed, if we are that busy, then maybe it is time to take another look at our lives so that we can make more time for Him who has given us all that we have.
Today, after the 10:30 Mass we will have a Corpus Christi Procession. Weather permitting, we will process the Blessed Sacrament from the church through the streets of Wadsworth and return to the church for the closing prayers. This is a great opportunity for us to publicly witness to our belief in the
Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. As we process with Jesus through the streets of Wadsworth, we are reminded that Jesus is walking with us in so many ways and in every aspect of our life. Please make plans to join in this procession as express our belief in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
NEXT WEEKEND WE WILL CELEBRATE The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at all the Masses. Following the 5 PM Mass on Sunday, June 9, we will hold our Parish picnic combined with a Farewell to Fr. Pat. Join us at the pavilion. WE WILL PROVIDE the hamburgers and hot dogs, grilled by the Knights of Columbus and our Altar & Rosary Society will be providing ALL the desserts: cake, cupcakes, pies, and cookies. WE ASK THOSE ATTENDING TO BRING A SIDE DISH TO SHARE. SO PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND WITH YOUR FAMILIES. THERE WILL BE MUSIC, GAMES, BEER, AND WINE.
WARM WEATHER! Please remember to be careful of how you and your children dress when coming to Mass in the warm weather. The church is air conditioned, so it is not necessary to dress as if we are going to the beach or a picnic. We should be respectful and reverent as we come to Mass. The clothes we choose to wear make a statement to others and to God about what we are doing as we come to worship Him. It is a special time, and it is the most important activity of our lives. We would gladly dress up for a variety of occasions such as weddings or funerals or to meet an important person. We would not want our host or hostess to think we have no respect for the occasion or for them. So why should we treat our Lord any differently? It cannot hurt anyone to dress up a little when they come to church. Such things as shorts, t-shirts, halter tops, flip flops all belong at the beach and are not suitable attire to worship God or enter His house. So, please use discretion and good taste as you get ready for Mass each Sunday. We will not have any “fashion police” guarding the doors so just do it for the Lord and you will feel better about yourself as you sacrifice comfort for reverence and respect.
