One Bread, One Body

We have really missed gathering for Mass over the last few months and have found it particularly difficult not being able to receive Communion. We have of course become familiar with the prayerful act of spiritual communion where we have united ourselves with so many as we joined in celebrations of the Eucharist on TV and webcam.

There is a real hunger in us and a deep desire to gather again as a community to be nourished and strengthened by the Body of Christ. Thank God we are moving into more hopeful times as we prepare to reopen our churches at the end of the month for public worship and celebration of the sacraments. Many of you have expressed your happiness and gratitude for the recent opportunity to pray quietly before the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Spirit Church every morning.

Throughout his life Jesus shows a deep awareness of the hungers of the human heart. He responds with compassion and love to those who hunger and thirst for healing, acceptance, forgiveness and love. Jesus never holds back in his generous response to our thirst for fullness of life. He pours out his life in loving service and calls us into a communion of life and love. On the night before he died Jesus showed the depth of his love for us giving us the gift of his abiding presence in the Eucharist.

Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we share a great prayer of thanks to our God for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. With faith we receive the Body of Christ and we commit ourselves to become the Body of Christ as we reach out to one another in loving service. We have experienced the power of loving service in profound ways during these challenging months. On this feast of Corpus Christi, we celebrate our communion of life and love in Jesus who is truly present with us in the Eucharist. We renew our commitment to witness to his life and to be present to one another with love and compassion.

We remember Harry Kelly whose funeral took place this week. We also remember Courtney Bedford Mc Hale, Richard Byrne, Blarnet O Leary, Stephen Ryan, Ann Langan and all our departed family and friends. May they rest forever in the light and peace of God’s love.

And we, though many

Throughout the earth

We are one Body

In this one Lord