Author: diocesan-melbournebeach

The Holy Spirit is burning within Peter, the first of the Apostles, as he proclaims the truth about Jesus to the leaders of the Jews in today’s First Reading: Jesus Christ is the stone they rejected and executed, the cornerstone of the Church, in Whom all salvation and healing is found.

In Christ, the Son of God, we also become children of God. In Christ, who calls himself the Good Shepherd, we are known and healed and saved. This Good Shepherd has sacrificed everything for our sake, laying down His life willingly, and taking it back up again.

Jesus is always the one in control. No one forces him to do anything. The Father sent him into the world on a mission of salvation, and his whole life is dedicated to saving all of us. It is a struggle, but he is not struggling to protect or save himself; he is struggling to save all of us as he gives all of Himself. The enemy does not make him recoil or run away from his mission; the “wolf” will not make him anxious, because he cannot lose. Jesus is not worried. He does not need to recalculate his battle plan. The Plan is set from the beginning: He must take on all our fallenness and woundedness and sin and death itself, and carry it all the way to Golgotha in his own Perfect Heart – completely human and completely divine; he must sacrifice himself wholly by laying down his life, and then transform every darkness into light when he takes up his life again.

And His glorious promise to us is that ultimately, all will be drawn together so that there will be one flock without division, under the one Shepherd of love. The love of the Father has willed that we be called His children, as St. John tells us. God has created a world and a Heaven that would not be complete without us, because we are all members of one family in Christ, each of us beloved sons and daughters. Through Christ’s rejection and death, we are redeemed, received, and given eternal life. In this freedom, we are called to accept this great gift and follow the commands of our Good Shepherd.

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El Espíritu Santo arde dentro de Pedro, el primero de los Apóstoles, mientras proclama la verdad sobre Jesús a los líderes de los judíos en la Primera Lectura de hoy: Jesucristo es la piedra que ellos rechazaron y ejecutaron, la piedra angular de la Iglesia, en Quien toda salvación y sanidad se encuentra.

En Cristo, el Hijo de Dios, también nosotros llegamos a ser hijos de Dios. En Cristo, que se llama a sí mismo el Buen Pastor, somos conocidos, sanados y salvados. Este Buen Pastor ha sacrificado todo por nosotros, entregando su vida voluntariamente y tomándola de nuevo.

Jesús siempre tiene el control. Nadie le obliga a hacer nada. El Padre lo envió al mundo con una misión de salvación, y toda su vida está dedicada a salvarnos a todos. Es una lucha, pero él no lucha por protegerse o salvarse a sí mismo; Él está luchando por salvarnos a todos mientras entrega todo de sí mismo. El enemigo no le hace retroceder ni huir de su misión; el “lobo” no le pondrá ansioso, porque no puede perder. Jesús no está preocupado. No necesita recalcular su plan de batalla. El Plan está establecido desde el principio: Él debe asumir toda nuestra caída, nuestras heridas, el pecado y la muerte misma, y llevarlos hasta el Gólgota en su propio Corazón Perfecto, completamente humano y completamente divino; debe sacrificarse por completo entregando su vida, y luego transformar toda oscuridad en luz cuando retome su vida.

Y Su gloriosa promesa para nosotros es que, en última instancia, todos se unirán para que haya un rebaño sin división, bajo el único Pastor del amor. El amor del Padre ha querido que seamos llamados hijos suyos, como nos dice San Juan. Dios ha creado un mundo y un Cielo que no estaría completo sin nosotros, porque todos somos miembros de una sola familia en Cristo, cada uno de nosotros amados hijos e hijas. A través del rechazo y la muerte de Cristo, somos redimidos, recibidos y se nos da vida eterna. Con esta libertad, estamos llamados a aceptar este gran regalo y seguir los mandatos del Buen Pastor.

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Recently, we listened to a priest talk about the Legion of Mary so that we could prayerfully discern whether or not we should begin a group in our parish. It sounded amazing. You get together once a week to pray the rosary and other Marian prayers, you listen to words of wisdom, and have fellowship with others who are also trying to live out their devotion to Mary. I was all in. 

Then he told us that each member of the group would be given a weekly apostolic work and we would come back to the group to report it. We would be given tasks to complete, like visiting the homebound or hospitalized, praying for others, completing works of service or walking up to complete strangers and offering them the Miraculous Medal. 

Walking up to strangers. Talking to them about Mary. Evangelizing to strangers. Out of my comfort zone. Way out of my comfort zone. Panic inducing anxiety out of my comfort zone. 

Yet, like Peter, I have to say, “Lord, to whom shall I go?” 

Jesus is at the height of his popularity. People are calling for him to be king. They are all in. And then Jesus tells them that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood. What? Is he talking about cannibalism? Is he just trying to tell them that he will provide for them? What does this mean? And great numbers of people simply walk away. This is too hard. It invokes revulsion, anxiety, maybe even panic since it is out of their comfort zone. And they walk away. 

So Jesus asks his apostles if they are going to leave as well. And Peter responds, “Lord, to whom shall I go?” Peter doesn’t tell Jesus he understands these hard sayings. He doesn’t ask Jesus to clue him in or to make an exception. Peter simply stands on his relationship with Jesus and wonders aloud, “What else is there?” 

We are asked to do the same thing over and over again. When the teachings of the Church become hard and we want to look for something easier, to whom shall we go? When we are scandalized by the behavior of those we see in the pews next us, to whom shall we go? When our pastor doesn’t live up to our expectations, to whom shall we go? When helping to build the Kingdom of God here on earth takes me out of my comfort zone, to whom shall I go? 

I don’t know where this current path will lead, but I know I trust Jesus enough that if he is placing this before me, I need to prayerfully, wholeheartedly discern his call. Because, like Peter, I too believe, Lord, that you have the words of eternal life. I have come to believe and am convinced that you are the Holy One of God. To whom else should I go? 

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In the Gospel reading today, we see how the physical realities of this world mean something to Jesus. He tells us that we must eat his body and drink his blood to have eternal life. At the Last Supper, he shows us how this is possible through the priesthood in the context of the Mass. Throughout Scripture, when Jesus makes physical things holy, such as bread, wine, water, oil, our bodies, and our communal gatherings, he gives them a powerful spiritual purpose and significance.

A while back, I was listening to a podcast from a non-Catholic Christian who specializes in trying to help Christian churches thrive. They were asking the question, “How do we ‘do’ church?” This expert recommended that churches meet the needs of our modern culture by investing more in online “church.” Hmmm… an emphasis on online church community and “worship” minimizes the importance of our physical natures and how we are taught by Christ to live and to worship. 

The Catholic Church was founded by Christ when he said to Peter, “You are Peter [Rock], and upon this Rock, I will build my church.” Ever since then, for over 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has been asking in various ways, “How do we ‘do’ church?” We “do church” by gathering for worship and fellowship and by engaging in the sacraments. 

The Church is the family of God, and we are taught by Christ to worship God together. Online opportunities can only take us so far. We need to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually interacting with each other, like a family, in order to do what the Church is called to do. Sometimes it is exhausting, but God teaches us, through our daily personal interactions, to grow in virtue and to rely on his grace. 

When it comes to the sacraments, “Virtual reality is no substitute for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the sacramental reality of the other sacraments, and shared worship in a flesh-and-blood human community” (The Pontifical Council for Social Communications in The Church and the Internet). Holy Communion, Baptism, Confession, Matrimony, Holy Orders, the Anointing of the Sick—they are all encounters with the living, personal Christ who became incarnate to be with us. 

While churches may offer legitimate, helpful, online opportunities for communion and growth in faith, there is so much more than that. Human beings were designed to commune with each other in more meaningful ways, and the Catholic Church, whether she is found in Zimbabwe, Japan, or the United States of America, makes grace available to us through the spiritual and physical elements of the sacraments. 

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En la lectura del Evangelio de hoy, vemos cómo las realidades físicas de este mundo significan algo para Jesús. Nos dice que debemos comer su cuerpo y beber su sangre para tener vida eterna. En la Última Cena, nos muestra cómo esto es posible a través del sacerdocio en el contexto de la Misa. A lo largo de las Escrituras, cuando Jesús santifica las cosas físicas, como el pan, el vino, el agua, el aceite, nuestros cuerpos y nuestras reuniones comunitarias, les da un poderoso propósito y significado espiritual.

Hace un tiempo, estaba escuchando un podcast de un protestante que se especializa en tratar de ayudar a las iglesias cristianas a prosperar. Se preguntaban: “¿Cómo ‘hacemos’ iglesia?” Este experto recomendó que las iglesias satisfagan las necesidades de nuestra cultura moderna invirtiendo más en la “iglesia” en línea. Hmmm… un énfasis en la comunidad eclesial y la “alabanza” en línea minimiza la importancia de nuestra naturaleza física y de cómo Cristo nos enseña a vivir y alabarlo.

La Iglesia Católica fue fundada por Cristo cuando le dijo a Pedro: “Tú eres Pedro [Roca], y sobre esta Roca edificaré mi iglesia”. Desde entonces, durante más de 2.000 años, la Iglesia Católica se ha estado preguntando de diversas formas: “¿Cómo ‘hacemos’ iglesia?” Nosotros “hacemos iglesia” al reunirnos para la adoración y el compañerismo y al participar en los sacramentos.

La Iglesia es la familia de Dios y Cristo nos enseña a adorar a Dios juntos. Las oportunidades en línea sólo pueden llevarnos hasta cierto punto. Necesitamos interactuar física, emocional y espiritualmente unos con otros, como una familia, para poder hacer lo que la Iglesia está llamada a hacer. A veces es agotador, pero Dios nos enseña, a través de nuestras interacciones personales diarias, a crecer en virtud y a confiar en su gracia.

Cuando se trata de los sacramentos, “la realidad virtual no sustituye la Presencia Real de Cristo en la Eucaristía, la realidad sacramental de los demás sacramentos y el culto compartido en una comunidad humana de carne y hueso” (El Pontificio Consejo para las Comunicaciones Sociales en La Iglesia y el Internet). La Sagrada Comunión, el Bautismo, la Confesión, el Matrimonio, el Orden Sagrado, la Unción de los Enfermos: todos ellos son encuentros con el Cristo vivo y personal que se encarnó para estar con nosotros.

Si bien las iglesias pueden ofrecer oportunidades en línea legítimas y útiles para la comunión y el crecimiento en la fe, hay mucho más que eso. Los seres humanos fueron diseñados para interactuar de maneras más significativas, y la Iglesia Católica, ya sea que se encuentre en Zimbabwe, Japón o los Estados Unidos, pone la gracia a nuestra disposición a través de los elementos espirituales y físicos de los sacramentos. 

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The Eucharist is truly Jesus, body, blood, soul and divinity!

Do you doubt the real presence of the Eucharist? When asked the most quoted verse in all the Bible, we turn to “This is my body that is given up for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” This is a verse we hear every time we celebrate in the most Holy Mass. It is a statement that is so well known, and yet, so difficult for many to understand. Even the Disciples say “This saying is hard, who can accept it?” Despite the many miracles that Jesus has performed, His followers, still to this day, often doubt. 

Yet in the Gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly declares that He is the Bread of Life, in verses 35, 48, 51, 53 and 55. Jesus could not be more clear in his language here. He explains over and over again that this is the truth! This is the central belief of Catholicism: If we eat of His flesh, we shall live forever! Jesus is speaking literally, not figuratively. The Eucharist is truly Jesus, body, blood, soul and divinity. This teaching should change our lives; it should be a belief worth dying for. Christ loves us so much that He has died for us. In this life we are constantly hungry, yet we are never alone, if Christ resides in us. 

How blessed I am that our oldest living child is to receive her holy Communion this year! I cannot begin to express my gratitude. On her first communion, I want her to know that her family loves her, but that God loves her so much more than she could ever imagine. I pray that my daughter will believe this is truly Jesus, that He longs for her, that He is there waiting for her in the church at every Mass to be a part of her always. He is all that matters. We should always be ready and willing to give up everything for Him. There is nothing more valuable. To receive the Eucharist is to receive Heaven on earth. May all praise be to the Lord Jesus, today and forever!

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¡La Eucaristía es verdaderamente Jesús, cuerpo, sangre, alma y divinidad!

¿Dudas de la presencia verdadera de Jesús en la Eucaristía? Cuando nos preguntan cuál es el versículo más citado de toda la Biblia, recurrimos a “Este es mi cuerpo, entregado por ustedes. Haz esto en memoria mía.” Este es un versículo que escuchamos cada vez que celebramos la Santa Misa. Es una declaración muy conocida y, sin embargo, muy difícil de entender para muchos. Incluso los Discípulos dicen: “Esta palabra es dura, ¿quién podrá aceptarla?” A pesar de los muchos milagros que Jesús ha realizado, sus seguidores, hasta el día de hoy, a menudo dudan.

Sin embargo, en el Evangelio de Juan, Jesús declara repetidamente que Él es el Pan de Vida, en los versículos 35, 48, 51, 53 y 55. Jesús no podría ser más claro en su forma de hablar. ¡Él explica una y otra vez que es cierto! Esta es la creencia central del catolicismo: ¡si comemos de Su carne, viviremos para siempre! Jesús está hablando literalmente, no en sentido figurado. La Eucaristía es verdaderamente Jesús, cuerpo, sangre, alma y divinidad. Esta enseñanza debería cambiar nuestras vidas; debería ser una creencia por la que valga la pena morir. Cristo nos ama tanto que murió por nosotros. En esta vida tenemos hambre constantemente, pero nunca estamos solos, si Cristo reside en nosotros.

¡Cuán bendecida soy de que nuestra hija mayor viva reciba su sagrada Comunión este año! No puedo empezar a expresar mi gratitud. En su primera comunión, quiero que sepa que su familia la ama, pero que Dios la ama mucho más de lo que jamás podría imaginar. Pido que mi hija crea que este es verdaderamente Jesús, que Él la anhela, que Él está ahí esperándola en la iglesia en cada Misa para ser parte de ella siempre. Él es todo lo que importa. Siempre debemos estar listos y dispuestos a renunciar a todo por Él. No hay nada más valioso. Recibir la Eucaristía es recibir el Cielo en la tierra. ¡Que toda la alabanza sea para el Señor Jesús, hoy y siempre!

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