The one who feeds on Me will have life because of Me

Dear Parishioners,

Jesus is the bread of life, the Eucharist, and He offers Himself to us, and for us, at each and every mass. What an incredible gift! Are we prepared to receive such a wonderful gift? Are we prepared to have, and to live, the life that He freely offers to us?

We pray that we not be confused, just as they were when Jesus offered it to those first disciples. Some thought He was talking about cannibalism (!) some thought He was offering some kind of magic potion (buy my water) and some saw simply a symbol but figured it was really still bread (how sad.)

Jesus was saying to them, as He says to us, “Take ME! – Take ALL of ME!” I am offering you life, the full life that comes from Me being in your life and you being in mine. I often say in the first communion homilies that communion is not simply a one-way street. “I am here Lord so give it to me.” What we should be saying is that we recognize Him, we recognize the sacrifice He makes for us (“We offer You, Lord, this life-giving bread, this chalice of salvation”) and we join Him by our joining with, and receiving, the sacrifice offered to God Himself, thereby offering ourselves as sacrifice. Is that what I am really doing? The point is not what am I getting, it becomes what am I prepared to give? This is often my response to those who tell me they aren’t “getting anything out of mass.” The point is really “what are you prepared to give?” If I am attaching myself to His perfect sacrifice of His divine life, am I really ready to say, “I offer my imperfect sacrifice, tied to yours, to bring me to the divine life You promise to me?”

Jesus says I offer you Me, completely.

I offer you Me who is welcoming.

I offer you Me who is forgiving.

I offer you Me who is Love.

I offer you all of this but leave your free will intact. Take Me, take ALL of Me and you will know how to act, you will know what to do, you will know how to live - with Me and because of Me.

Take Me and leave anger, pride, greed, lust, anger, envy, gluttony and sloth behind.

Take Me and be who you were meant to be. That’s life, nothing less.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

We can do this; we are already His.

God bless,

Fr. Holz