"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes."
1 Corinthians 11: 26

Who likes Gifts?

We all like to receive gifts on occasion. Sometimes it's the, "wondering what's inside" part that makes it worth while. Other times we might be anticipating something that we have longed to own. In either case you take the gift and you are thankful for it. Like the phrase goes, "It's the thought that counts." Now imagine being able to receive a gift everyday. Wow!!! That's a lot of gifts.

During the last supper, Jesus knew that His time was coming to an end, and He knew He would soon leave this world. However, He wanted to leave us a gift. Not just any gift, but a gift to remember Him for generations to come. I'm sure it didn't take Him long to realize what that gift was. What greater gift could He possibly leave us but His own body and blood? He wanted to be close to everyone throughout their entire lives. He accomplished this by leaving us His body to eat and His blood to drink. When He stood in front of his Apostles and said, "Take this bread and eat it. This is my body which will be given up for you," He meant exactly what He said. They weren't just eating bread; they were eating the body of the Son of God. Then He said, "Take this cup and drink it. This is my blood." He actually meant that it was indeed His blood. To finish it off He said, "Do this in remembrance of me." And that was His gift to us.

Every time Fr. Wayne stands at the altar and does the consecration of the bread and wine, we must realize it is not really Fr. Wayne who is doing that. It is Jesus Christ Himself that is standing before us. It is Jesus who said those exact words over 2000 years ago and it is Jesus who says them in every single mass. Remember next time you receive the Eucharist and Blood you are not just eating a piece of bread and drinking some wine, but taking into yourself THE SON OF GOD. Would you be able to stand before Jesus without respect or concern for your actions? NO! And this is exactly what we do before we receive the Eucharist. Think about how you would act before the Son of God and do this the next time you receive the Eucharist. Like I said, "It's the thought that counts."

God Bless,
Jesus Freak