If today were not a Sunday, we would celebrate the Birth of Mary in the liturgy. Please say an extra couple of Hail Mary’s or even the Rosary today in honor of our Blessed Mother. Mary, Queen of Peace! Pray for us.
Next Sunday is Catechetical Sunday. The theme this year is: Feeding the Hungry by Putting Our Two Feet of Love in Action. The Eucharist propels us forth to build “a more human world, a world fully in harmony with God’s plan” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 20). How can we put faith in action to address poverty and inequality in our communities? As missionary disciples, we walk with the complementary “feet” of charitable works and social justice. These two feet of love in action provide tangible ways to respond to the face of Christ in the least of our brothers and sisters in need (“Lord, when did we see you hungry” – Mt 25:37). Here at Sacred Heart of Jesus we have many catechists teaching and sharing the Catholic Faith with our children and young people from Pre-K through 12th Grade. We also have many people participating in the Becoming Catholic program for those who are interested in learning more about the Catholic with the idea that they may then join the Church and receive the Sacraments. We can also take into consideration the people who visit shut-ins and give them Holy Communion. This is definitely a way of teaching others about our Catholic Faith through the example of their life. There are also the many members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society as well as the Legion of Mary who share the Catholic Faith with so many people. We can all teach others the Catholic Faith by what we say and by what we do. We really do not have to belong to a specific organization or be in a classroom setting with others. All we have to do is share the love of Jesus with anyone we meet in the course of any day.
Getting back to our theme of Feeding the Hungry by Putting Our Two Feet of Love in Action means that we share or teach our Faith by what we do for our brothers and sisters in Christ. There are different types of hunger, physical and spiritual. We can share our love and knowledge of Jesus by giving Him to one another. However, before we can give this gift to another we must accept and treasure it ourselves. This gift of Jesus comes to us first at Baptism and reaffirmed when we receive and live the other Sacraments in our life. The most important of these Sacraments is the Holy Eucharist because we can receive this Bread of Life over and over again, every day if we choose to. This is the food that strengthens our love for Jesus and empowers us to share His love with others. We are now in the third year of our Eucharistic Revival in the United States. The bishops of our country started this renewal when it became known that there are many Catholics who attend Mass every Sunday who still do not believe that the Eucharist is truly and really the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not a sign or a symbol or a reminder. It IS Jesus Christ just as He says to us at every Mass, “This is my Body…This is my Blood.” It is because Jesus says so and Jesus is God. Just like when God said at the creation of the world in the book of Genesis, “Let there be light,” and so there was light. Whatever God says comes into reality. This is what we believe and if we do not, how do we really call ourselves Christians.
As I have said many times, our parish is especially blessed because we have perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in our Chapel of Divine Mercy 24/7, and we can receive our Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament every day of the week. The Lord Jesus is truly with us all the time. How aware are we of Him throughout each day? The more time we spend with Him at Mass, in the Chapel of Divine Mercy, or in our own daily prayers the more we come to know Him, love Him, and serve Him right here and now. Please make every effort to think long and hard about your own belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and you might be better able to share Him and His love with everyone around us.
Thank you to everyone who is reading this letter as it also means that you are reading the weekly bulletin. There is always much information to be found in our weekly bulletin concerning parish organizations, parish events, opportunities to learn more about our Catholic Faith as well as opportunities to come together in prayer with fellow parishioners. Please realize that a great deal of effort goes into making the bulletin look as good as it does. I am very grateful to Dianna Davies and Lisa Hanna for all their hard work in getting the bulletin out to you as well as the ushers who pass the bulletins out to you as you leave Mass on the weekends. Please support the businesses that advertise in our bulletin. Most of them are our fellow parishioners. The bulletin is also available at the parish web site shofjesus.com.
