Happy Flambeau Rama!
Happy Flambeau Rama!
This weekend we celebrate Flambeau Rama! Let us celebrate the spirit of community, family and friends.
I was listening to Bishop Barron at the National Eucharistic Congress. One of his quotes from Father Ronald Knox, a Catholic apologist from England who died in 1957 captured my attention. After reading Fr. Knox’s words on Eucharist, Bishop said, it always stayed with him. He continued, “Knox said that almost all of Jesus’ commands have been dishonored – or at least honored in the breach. You know, ‘Love your enemies and bless those who curse you and don’t judge.’ All the moral demands of Jesus, time and again, we disregard those. “But, strangely, Knox said there is a command of Jesus that we have over the centuries consistently obeyed, and that is, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’
Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Most of us take it seriously and come together to celebrate the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Congress is one of the best proof for that. Around 60,000 people came together to celebrate the faith and sent out to proclaim the faith. Cardinal Tagle, Papal Delegate, said in his homily, we are sent out to be Jesus flesh and blood for others.
We have the Gospel reading from John chapter 6:24-35 on Eucharist. Last week, we heard the multiplication of loaves and fish (6:1-15). This week, Jesus says, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
People were looking for Jesus, and they asked him, “Rabbi, how did you get here.” Jesus didn’t answer their question directly. Instead, he addressed the reason why they were looking for him: they were looking for another free meal. He tells them to seek Bread that will last forever, the Bread He will give. Earthly food is necessary to sustain the earthly life, but because it is perishable, it is not sufficient to give us supernatural life. Only Christ can give us the food that satisfies our spiritual hunger and gives eternal life. People told Jesus “Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Our first reading is from the book of Exodus16:2-4, 12-15 which gives us the account of the Israelite receiving the “Manna” in the wilderness. “Then the Lord said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you (Exodus 16:4).” We read in the Book of Wisdom “Instead of this, you nourished your people with food of angels and furnished them bread from heaven, ready to hand, untoiled-for, endowed with all delights and conforming to every taste (Wisdom 16:20).” The wilderness manna was not false bread; it was merely a sign of the imperishable bread, the Eucharist. Manna did not take them to the heavenly reality, but Jesus himself the true bread of life which takes us to heaven. The manna, the bread came from heaven, nourished only by the body. Christ gives us his very self as the bread of life that nourishes the soul.
Eucharist is not just food for our journey, it is also the end of our journey, heaven. What does heaven look like? The heaven: saints, angels, are in full communion with God. At every Mass, heaven touches the earth. All saints and angels are present at the Mass. Jesus said to the people, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent” (John 16:29). We can see only bread, but in the Eucharist Jesus gives himself. Jesus said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
The National Eucharistic Congress Fr. Mike Schmitz said, we all know and believe in the real presence of Jesus. What is the point of the Mass? It is the Sacrifice of Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity to the Father in humble obedience. In the Mass it happens when the priest holds the Body of Christ and Blood of Christ and says the prayer, “Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever. Amen.” He said, that moment is the moment Jesus on the Cross says, “Into your hands I commend my Spirit.” He continues, that moment we are in Calvary, that moment we are participating in the restoration of the world.
St. Ignatius of Loyola says, “He had made Himself our pay, giving himself as our brother in our flesh; as the price of salvation on the Cross, and as the food and the companion of our wanderings in the Eucharist. Oh, how worthless must a soldier be for whom such an accumulation of recompense does not suffice to make him toil for the honor of such a Prince!”
When we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we are a people gathered in faith. Faith brings trust, which gives us the strength to face the challenges of day-to-day life to live that faith. We celebrate and proclaim our faith in the Eucharist and take with us to share with one another.
I mentioned last week that at the National Eucharistic Congress, one point to take away was “Walk With One.” Bishop Cozcens said at the final mark to the 60,000 pilgrims to walk with one. He asked to think about one person whom you would like to see in the church and pray for that individual or family. Eventually befriend them. Once friendship grows and shares faith with them and invites them to celebrate faith with them. I would like to invite you to think about one family where each one of us can pray and eventually befriend them and invite them to the faith.