Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.”  These words of an ancient Eucharistic hymn convey the sentiments and Faith that we express on this Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Sometimes there is the danger to take for granted the most awesome gift God has bestowed upon us. And there are those who even today echo the sceptics who rejected the  Words of the Savior: “unless you eat My Flesh and  drink My Blood you will have no life within you.” The Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, indeed challenges the faith of many, but  what is Faith after all if not the humble acceptance of  God’s command. Jesus Christ invites us into the Mystery of His Real Presence. He beckons us to partake of His Resurrected Body that cannot be contained by time nor space. The Holy Eucharist effects a union with Him, The Father and the Holy Spirit which pre pares us for eternal life. Heaven resides in us right now through the workings of this Most Precious gift. 

How then do we approach this most glorious union?  Too often, our approach may be too casual. As we enter church our attention and affection should first be drawn to The Presence of our Lord in the tabernacle. As we bless ourselves and genuflect we are not performing rote rituals but rather are making a declaration of Faith. In other words, we are saying,  “I believe Lord that you are here and that you promised to come to me, I therefore come for you. This outward declaration of one’s faith by silent word and  action gives witness to others that we adore the God  Who has humbled Himself to dwell among us.  

Secondly, we consider the state of our souls as we present ourselves before Him. We know, or should  know, that if we are not in the state of grace we need  to refrain from the reception of Holy Communion  until we have made things right with God through a  good Confession. It would be insulting to family and friends if we invited them to our home which looks  as if a cyclone has passed through. How much more would it be an insult to God if our soul was in disorder by the chaos of sin. If we have not been coming  to Mass because other things have been deemed by  us as “more important” than God, such as shopping,  entertainment, athletics, then what are we saying  about the importance, or lack thereof, of the Holy  Eucharist in our lives?  

We remember the encounter that Our Lord had with the disciples on the road to Emmaus on Easter Sunday afternoon. At first they were prevented from recognizing Jesus until it came to the “Breaking of the Bread”– the Holy Eucharist once again, the second  time since the Last Supper. And what was the reaction of those disciples:  “Were not our hearts burning within us?” Let it be the same with us. Let us burn with longing to receive worthily Our Lord. Let us come to adore Him this day and any day possible to be possessed by God and not the distractions of this  world.  Come and experience true freedom from the only One Who can set you free and provide for you already a taste of heaven. 

With Blessings,

Father Langan