Exiit qui seminat

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christ, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Made a universal feast of the Church in August 1264 by Pope Urban IV, the Holy Father wrote that just as the Church remembers different aspects of the lives of the saints, "[e]specially, then, it is necessary to fulfill this duty with the admirable sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, which is glory and crown of all the Saints ..." In addition, Pope Urban IV stated that Corpus Christ would shine on the feast "a special festivity and solemnity and so that what may have been neglected in other Mass celebrations, as far as solemnity is concerned ..." That intentionality and solemnity are all the more important in the world in which we live. As you well know, over the past several years the Catholic Church in the United States has embarked upon a Eucharistic renewal to evangelize to the faithful the importance of the Most Blessed Sacrament as the foundation of the Church herself and nourishment for our souls. Our own parish has focused on the building up adoration, devotion and love of our Eucharistic Lord by having a short time of adoration after the Saturday night and Sunday Masses on the 1 st weekend of the month. In addition, the priests of the parish try our best to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass reverently and devoutly, because if we, as priests, can't focus our lives and, most importantly, our lives of prayer on the most important aspect of our faith, how could we ever expect our parishioners to do the same. The programmatic aspects of the Eucharistic renewal will eventually come to an end. However, our constant foundation and renewal in the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior can never end. Maybe we can read the 6 th Chapter of the Gospel of John and the Bread of Life Discourse? Maybe we can unpack all of the Eucharistic and priestly connotations in the Letter to the Hebrews? Hopefully, many of our parishioners will attend our annual Eucharistic Procession after the 11 AM Mass. It is my prayer that we, as a parish community, can continue to ground our entire lives in the Bread of Life and Chalice of Everlasting Salvation. As our patron, St. Pio of Pietrelcina wrote, “Renew your faith by attending Holy Mass. Keep your mind focused on the mystery that is unfolding before your eyes. In your mind’s eye transport yourself to Calvary and meditate on the Victim who offers Himself to Divine Justice, paying the price of your redemption.”