April 24, 2015 Friday: 3rd Week in Easter
April 24, 2015 Friday: 3rd Week in Easter
An old illiterate woman in Ireland was so poor that the priest had to bring her food each week. Then he heard that she has a son in America who was successful in business. So he asked if her son ever send her anything. She replied that he only send her the same picture every month. She went to get a box with a stack of pictures which were actually one hundred dollar bills. She was rich, but didn’t know it.
Many Catholics are like that woman. They live in spiritual poverty, not knowing what wonderful riches they have in the Holy Eucharist. They rarely attend Mass or if they do they do not receive Holy Communion. What wasted opportunities! “If only you know the gift of God,” Jesus told the woman at the well, (John 4:10).
In the gospel today Jesus promises the Eucharist, “the source and summit of Christian life.” He insists on its necessity, “Unless you eat…”Just as we need food to stay alive and healthy, so we need spiritual food. At Communion, we receive not only the grace of God, but God Himself, the giver of all grace. He promises life eternal and union with Him and with our fellowmen.
St. Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus which changed him forever. From a persecutor, he was transformed into the most zealous and courageous apostle. We encounter the same Christ at every Eucharistic celebration. May this encounter be so deep that it changes us it did St. Paul.
The poor woman didn’t realize what she was missing. How about us? Do we really value the Mass, Holy Communion and visits to the Blessed Sacrament as opportunities to encounter Christ, deepen our union with Him and our brothers and sisters and to gain eternal life? (Fr. James Risse, SVD Bible Diary 2007)
An old illiterate woman in Ireland was so poor that the priest had to bring her food each week. Then he heard that she has a son in America who was successful in business. So he asked if her son ever send her anything. She replied that he only send her the same picture every month. She went to get a box with a stack of pictures which were actually one hundred dollar bills. She was rich, but didn’t know it.
Many Catholics are like that woman. They live in spiritual poverty, not knowing what wonderful riches they have in the Holy Eucharist. They rarely attend Mass or if they do they do not receive Holy Communion. What wasted opportunities! “If only you know the gift of God,” Jesus told the woman at the well, (John 4:10).
In the gospel today Jesus promises the Eucharist, “the source and summit of Christian life.” He insists on its necessity, “Unless you eat…”Just as we need food to stay alive and healthy, so we need spiritual food. At Communion, we receive not only the grace of God, but God Himself, the giver of all grace. He promises life eternal and union with Him and with our fellowmen.
St. Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus which changed him forever. From a persecutor, he was transformed into the most zealous and courageous apostle. We encounter the same Christ at every Eucharistic celebration. May this encounter be so deep that it changes us it did St. Paul.
The poor woman didn’t realize what she was missing. How about us? Do we really value the Mass, Holy Communion and visits to the Blessed Sacrament as opportunities to encounter Christ, deepen our union with Him and our brothers and sisters and to gain eternal life? (Fr. James Risse, SVD Bible Diary 2007)
