WEEKLY REFLECTION  
Today, we celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ. We are called to remember what took place at the Last Supper. We are also called to gather as a community to bless the bread and the wine. We ask God to bless these gifts so that they become the Body and Blood of Christ.  What an awesome gift God gives us each time we gather!

Do we realize what a gift it is that we have the honor of receiving Jesus at every Mass? Do we truly believe in it? We are called to the altar to receive a gift we are so unworthy to receive. We can never earn an invitation to the table - it is a pure gift.  We are called to accept it willingly, then share that gift with others in our daily lives. 

When I am offering the body of Christ, it is often hard to see the excitement in those who are coming forward. Sometimes the person is busy chewing a piece of gum. Other times, when I say, “Body of Christ,” it can be a long time before I hear the proper response: “Amen.”  When given the Body or Blood of Christ, we should proclaim our response, not just nod our heads or worse, say nothing. This should be a time when we “receive” the Body of Christ, not “take” the Body of Christ. 

If we are really prepared to receive the Eucharist, we should take a more reverent approach to it. Our “Amen” should be a firm and strong response, indicating that we are proud to receive this gift. I have said more than once that the Eucharist is so accessible to us that maybe we take it for granted. Jesus died for each of us and left us a gift to remind us of that. The Eucharist should never be taken for granted. It is the source and the summit of our Church life. 

While the Eucharist gives us food for the journey, it goes deeper than that. We are called to become more of what we receive. We are called to be Christ for one another. When we say “Amen,” we have accepted Jesus into our lives. That must make a difference. If it does not make a difference, then perhaps we need to take a step back and reflect on the gift. Mass must be more than a Sunday obligation. The Eucharist has the power to bring us ever closer to Jesus and the kingdom of the Father. I try never to miss an opportunity to talk about the Eucharist; it is the center of our faith. Don’t take it for granted; it is far too important for our salvation. We are called by name to be what we receive: the body of Christ.