August 5, 2012 - B
- Category: brdaniel
- Published Date
- Written by Br. Daniel Thomas, OP
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Eighteenth Sunday in the Church year.
Dedication of St. Mary Major, Basilica (mid 4th Century)
Scripture readings for today's liturgy:
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
Psalm 78
John 6:24-35
In the Last Discourse in John’s Gospel we hear Jesus pray, “Father, that they might be one as you and I, Father are one!
How do we share in this “oneness” with God the Father and Jesus? In the first place we have to move from the thought that our connection to Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit is not a private matter that we experience between me and God. The whole purpose of “Eucharist” is to bring us together. “One Bread, one Body, one Lord of all…”
Remember that I gave you the Greek word that was used when Jesus multiplied the loves and they gathered up twelve baskets full of fragments: something like “senectus” (excuse my poor spelling) and was the word for “gathering the people for Eucharist.” Like we say, “I’m going to Mass” they would say “let us celebrate ‘Senectus.’” So, our participation in Holy Communion is a gathering of the broken, fragmented people of God – “that they may be one…”
No room here for a “me and Jesus” theology. That person ahead or behind you in the Communion procession – with all his or her faults and shortcomings – might just be your ticket to Heaven! Knowing what I know about the fact and myself that Jesus still calls me to His Table I can more easily believe that He might also call you. Or that other person! Isn’t our God great? Let this idea sink in. Amen.
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