In the Know with Fr. Joe
Dear
Fr. Joe: Do we really believe that the host is God’s flesh? Isn’t
that weird?
Well, to quote a great theologian "The Eucharist. It is
a trip".
Okay, maybe nobody said that before me, but it is true, what we believe
is wild, and we are unapologetic about it, because love is a radical thing
and that is what we are dealing with here. Jesus radical love and desire
to be a part of us.
The primary passage for our belief on the Eucharist is John 6. Check
it out! In it, when Jesus spoke about them eating his flesh, people
found what He was saying "too much" and walked away. Jesus went
from a couple thousand followers that day to 12. It’s that controversial.
But we DO believe that this is Jesus’ Flesh and Blood. We consume
Him to become more like Him and for Him to enter more deeply into us.
In the Eucharist, St. Augustine encouraged us to "receive who we
are and become who we receive." We believe that in the Eucharist,
Jesus enters into our bodies and becomes a part of who we are. Jesus is
in our blood, our heart and our muscle. He is our breath, our words, our
love and our life.
What a gift! The Eucharist is why I became a priest.
Enjoy another day in God’s presence!
Fr. Joe
e-mail your questions to faithteen@parishmail.com or joeinblack@priest.com
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