+JMJ
Dear Parishioners,
Several years ago, I read a collection of essays on priesthood written by Pope Benedict XVI, collected in a book entitled Teaching and Learning the Love of God: Being a Priest Today. The essays span the entire clerical period of Pope Benedict, i.e., from his life as bishop, cardinal and finally as pope.
Pope Benedict wrote that behind the Iron Curtain in the Soviet Union some decades ago there were Catholic faith communities without a priest. This is because Communist persecution had silenced priests or driven them out. In order to maintain the Faith, especially to honor our Lord in the Eucharist without the possibility of having Mass, some communities still gathered, as if for an actual Mass. But there was no priest. Instead, the people would do everything they could to imitate the Mass. They would have the opening penitential rites. They would have the first reading, the responsorial psalm, and the second reading. Somebody would read the gospel, after a gospel acclamation. They would have petitions.
Then came the Eucharistic prayer. Somebody would actually read the Eucharistic prayer.... but just up to the words of consecration, the words that change the bread and wine into Jesus' Body and Blood: “This is my Body.... This is my Blood.” Nobody would read those words. Instead there was silence for a while. Or there would have been silence, … except that one could often hear muffled weeping.
Perhaps this is the best example of a “Communion of desire” that one could imagine. It's an inspiring and convicting story all at the same time! Do I really appreciate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as much as I ought to? Or do I take it for granted? Do I want to encourage young men close to me to consider priesthood, or don't I? Without priests, we have no Eucharist.
The Holy Week and Easter events that we celebrated this past week have everything to do with Holy Mass, and vice versa. Holy Mass in a way confirms the true nature of Jesus' death on the cross. The biggest proof we have that Jesus was not simply taken captive against His will late Holy Thursday night and executed on Good Friday is the fact that early that evening He had already given His Body and Blood as a Gift at the Last Supper. (i.e., He instituted the Eucharist; He created Holy Mass on Holy Thursday evening.) But that Body and Blood couldn't happen, were it not for the sacrifice of His life the next day. In other words, by the gift of the Eucharist at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, Jesus turned Good Friday's Calvary Crucifixion into a gift, not allowing it to be a mere execution at the hands of Roman soldiers. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on Calvary, for your resurrection from the Tomb, for your Ascension, and for the outpouring of your Holy Spirit at Pentecost, all through which you initiated your Church and Her sacraments, so that we could continue always to experience your presence… especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which is the Source and Summit of our life!
Welcome to all of our new members who came into the Church through our RCIA process this year. You have been an inspiration to our whole community by your seeking the Lord through extra prayer and study of the Faith. We are very, very glad to have you in our midst! Please keep asking questions about the Faith. That will draw you deeper. Please take advantage of all of the resources in our parish, especially our parish members, who are eager to keep running with you the Good Race of Faith!
Also, thanks to everybody who put so much work into making our Easter Week liturgies beautiful: the gardeners, musicians, lectors, servers, ushers and greeters, decorators, cleaners, extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, deacons and staff!
Have a blessed Easter Season!
In cordibus Iesu, Mariae et Iosephus,
Father Poggemeyer