August 1, 1999 |
The Gospel this weekend presents us with one of the accounts of the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. (There are actually six accounts in the four Gospels of a feeding of a multitude.) For some understanding of the biblical meaning of Jesus' miracles, we can turn to the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH which says that "the signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the one who does the Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his miracles can also be occasions for 'offense'; they are not intended to satisfy people's curiosity or desire for magic. Despite his evident miracles some people reject Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of the demons."
Dr. Reginald Fuller in his work PREACHING THE LECTIONARY says that the frequency of this story "testifies to its importance for the early Community, and the importance due to its connection with the Eucharist. Whereas we tend to see the origin of the Eucharist exclusively in the Last Supper, the early Church laid at least as much stress on Jesus' eating with his disciples in Galilee, to say nothing of the post-resurrection eating meals."
The second reading from Romans can give us a lot to think and pray about, especially these days of senseless violence. Nothing in this world can separate us from Christ in all of the trials and challenges which we face.
Earlier this spring the Archdiocese held its annual Development Appeal. If you will recall, the title of this years' campaign was Do this in memory of me. It was these words that our Blessed Lord spoke to the apostles as He instituted the sacrament of Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. This sacrament of the Eucharist, however, is one that is unfortunately misunderstood and underappreciated by many Catholics.
When we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we celebrate the mystery of the depths of God being made truly present to us. We believe that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol of Jesus' body and blood, but is in fact the same flesh and blood that was sacrificed on Calvary. At the first eucharist Jesus celebrated with the apostles he took the bread and wine and said to them, This is my Body and This is my Blood. The words chosen by our Lord were very specific and leave no room for any other interpretation. His real presence in the Eucharist, however, is not a visible presence but one that is perceived through the eyes of faith.
Christ's presence is hidden behind the appearance of bread and wine, yet we know because of His promise He is present. This is why the Eucharist is the central focus of our faith. The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. For the People of God the Eucharist is the origin and goal of our faith. The Eucharist is our reason for living and our hope that, as our life on earth comes to a conclusion, we will see this same Lord with the veil of mystery removed. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. (John 6:53)
This being our faith, we must take special care to arrive early for Holy Mass so that we can prepare our minds and hearts to receive our Blessed Lord. When we receive Him in the Eucharist we must be mindful of doing so reverently and never carelessly. Finally we should spend a few moments after receiving Holy Communion to thank Christ Jesus for the privilege of receiving His love and mercy which flow through the sacrament.
Since the Eucharist is Christ himself it is fitting for us as Catholics to spend time in prayer and adoration before this most holy of gifts. The Church remains unlocked until 8:00 p.m. on weekdays to allow parishioners to stop in during the day to pray. Also we are beginning our second year of weekly Eucharistic Adoration. The Eucharist is exposed at the conclusion of 8:00 a.m. Mass on Friday until 8:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday. Please know that you are always welcome to stop by even if only for a few minutes.
Basic to any religion is the quality of commitment. There is usually some kind of ritual ceremony to express that commitment and incorporate the person into the religion. For Christians this commitment is to the Lord Jesus Christ. In our Church we ritualize and express this commitment through a process of initiation that is three-fold, by Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Baptism initiates this process; Confirmation seals it and Eucharist helps this commitment to grow. A fully initiated Catholic has the full power of the Holy Spirit to help him or her be conformed to the Lord Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are strengthened in faith, grow in the trust and love of the Lord and are enabled to carry on His mission of spreading the Kingdom on God on earth.
...from Fr. Charles
The events of this past month (the death and burial of John F. Kennedy, Jr., and his wife and sister-in-law) brought a number of inquiries to the fore regarding the practice of cremation of a body and burial at sea. I also welcome the opportunity to address the issue of cremation since it has become more and more popular for burial within our parish.
A very helpful summary of the Church's teaching on cremation may be found in the 1998 statement of the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy, "Reflections on the Body, Cremation and Catholic Funeral Rites." I ordered several of these pamphlets. They are available in the Book Store in our Parish Office.
In the Order of Christian Funerals there is a statement that underlines the Catholic approach to the body and burial: "The Church's belief in the sacredness of the human body and the resurrection of the dead has traditionally found expression in the care taken to prepare the bodies of the deceased for burial." (#411) "This is the body once washed in baptism, anointed with the oil of salvaton, and fed with the bread of life. This is the body whose hands have clothed the poor and embraced the sorrowing. Indeed the human body is so extricably associated with the human person that it is hard to think of a human person apart from his/her body. Thus the Church's reverence and care for the body grown out of a reverence and concern for the person whom the Church now commends to the care of God." (#412)
Cremation was once frowned upon because it was seen as a statement of disbelief in the resurrection and life after death. Catholic funeral rites have always highlighted several important beliefs and values: the sacredness of all human life, the dignity of the human person, the resurrection of Jesus Christ and of his faithful followers, death as an occasion to confront and embrace human mortality, respect for the bodies of the dead, the importance of remembering the dead in prayer, the need for a ministry of consolation.
Cremation as a statement of disbelief in resurrection and life after death is no longer a part of our culture. The Church continues to develop "rites" for cremation which preserve our beliefs and at the same time allow for dignified funeral practices. Clearly, the Church prefers that the body of the deceased be present at the funeral rites and that cremation take place after these rites. However, the Church recommends "pastoral sensitivity" to the needs of the bereaved. hence, the cremated remains {"cremains") can be present at the funeral mass in place of the body.
The Order of Christian Funerals further states that the "cremated remains of a body should be treated with the same respect given to the corporeal remains of a human body. This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the ashes, the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and the final disposition."(#416)
"Reverent disposition" of cremated remains may be in a grave, entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium or even buried at sea. The practice of scattering the ashes or keeping the remains in the home of a relative or friend is usually not considered to be "reverent disposition." The key word in that statement is "usually," because there can be circumstances in which it is "reverent." The concern of the Church is that the body be treated with reverence in life and in death.
Perhaps no miracle of Jesus has commanded more attention than the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. To me it points out the danger of getting too involved in the details of Scripture stories. What happened or how it happened is really immaterial. Isaiah has the Lord inviting everyone to come to the water. Paul tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus tells his apostles to take care of feeding the people. It doesn't take too much thought to understand that the physical need for food and drink is not really Jesus' concern. He offers us the bread and water of real life, sustenance for fullness of life. Certainly the Eucharist is the focal point of the presence of God, our food for life. But to get too wrapped up in that one sacrament is to overlook the resources that are at hand throughout life. For example, when was the last time you considered the sacrament of marriage as being a sign of the real presence of God in the world? To me, if couples are serious about living this sacrament, they become a real help to each other in striving for fullness of life. After all, where else can you be yourself? Where else do you run into the challenge of accepting another just the way they are? Isn't this the kind of intimacy with life that we are all seeking? How did Jesus do it? What difference does it make? What matters is the opportunity we have today to find fullness of life, to walk with a sure knowledge that we are already in the presence of life's goal.
THEME: A FREE LUNCH: There is no such thing as a free lunch. At least this is the unchanging principle of the commercial world. Somewhere along the chain of buying and selling, someone will have to pay. God's ways are different, of course. Grace is free. God's life is freely given. The readings today reiterate this revelation. We are told this in the poetry of Isaiah, a letter from Paul, and a story from Matthew.
According to the plan of God, marriage is the foundation of the wider community of the family, since the very institution of marriage and conjugal love is ordained to the procreation and education of children, in whom it finds its crowning.
In its most profound reality, love is essentially a gift; and conjugal love, while leading the spouses to the reciprocal knowledge which makes them one flesh (Gn 2: 24), does not end with the couple, because it makes them capable of the greatest possible gift, the gift by which they become cooperators with God for giving life to a new human person. Thus the couple, while giving themselves to one another, give not just themselves but also the reality of children, who are a living reflection of their love, a permanent sign of conjugal unity and a living and inseparable synthesis of their being a father and a mother. When they become parents, spouses receive from God the gift of a new responsibility. Their parental love is called to become for the children the visible sign of the very love of God, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named (Eph 3:15). [FC n. 14]
Children are certainly the object of the Lord Jesus' tender and generous love. To them He gave His blessing, and even more, to them He promised the Kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:14). In particular, Jesus exalted the active role that little ones have in the Kingdom of God.
They are the eloquent symbol and exalted image of those moral and spiritual conditions that are essential for entering into the Kingdom of God and for living the logic of total confidence in the Lord: Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Mt 18:3-5; see also Luke (9:48).
Children are a continual reminder that the missionary fruitfulness of the Church has its life-giving basis not in human means and merits, but in the absolute gratuitous gift of God. The life itself of innocence and grace of many children, and even the suffering and oppression unjustly inflicted upon them, are in virtue of the Cross of Christ a source of spiritual enrichment for them and for the entire Church. [Cl n. 47]
Stop trying so hard. It will always be easier to be fed up rather than fed. We will always be thirsty if all we drink is the salt of tears. Rejoice! If we come to the Lord heedfully and listen carefully, what we hear is the invitation to an ever-flowing fountain and a never ending banquet (1). Even a deserted place in the company of Jesus (3) proves to be out of the way not of food and water, but out of the way of trouble and harm. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? (2). Only we ourselves can. If your not living next to God, guess who moved? God is near us even in the wilderness, but we can push him away even in a crowd.
