Word from the Pastor

The Most Holy Trinity

The solemnity of the most holy body and blood of christ
“Who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Dear parish family,​

This Sunday, we celebrate the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). On Holy Thursday, at the Last Supper, Jesus offered his body (bread) and his blood (wine) to the apostles in sacrifice and commanded them to do this in memory of him. On Good Friday, by freely shedding his blood on the cross for the salvation of the world, Jesus concretized his Holy Thursday’s offering of his life. The word Sacrifice comes from the Latin words: Sacrum Facere, which means “to make sacred.” In other words, to make sacred is to enter into communion with the God of life.​

Throughout our history of salvation, God had very patiently taught his people what kind of sacrifice really pleases him. In ancient times, beginning with Abraham, sacrifice was associated with the killing of humans and animals. For example, when Abraham was about to offer his only son Isaac in sacrifice in obedience to God, the angel of the Lord said to him: “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me” (Gn 22:12–13). God does not want human sacrifice; he only wanted to test Abraham’s fidelity to him and his dependence on him. With Moses, God taught his people a deeper meaning of sacrifices: they are signs of alliance with God. Sacrifice means to give to the Lord whatever he requests from our time, talents, treasures, and energy in order to advance his work of salvation. Our willingness to make sacrifices reveals the desire of our hearts for God. More than animal and human sacrifices, God is interested in the compassion and mercy of our hearts. In offering his body and his blood at the Eucharistic table, Jesus reconciles us with his Father and gives us life. “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.”​

St. John Paul II reminded us that the Church does not only celebrate the Eucharist but solemnly bears it in procession, publicly proclaiming that the sacrifice of Christ is for the salvation of the whole world. Receiving Holy Communion means entering into communion with the God of life, the God of Jesus Christ. That is why the liturgy (the Mass) is a moment of accomplishment of alliance with God. In offering the Holy Mass, we unite our lives to Christ to offer ourselves to the Father. God wants the gifts of our lives in thanksgiving. We rejoice in this post-Easter expression of our Eucharistic faith and devotion in order to deepen our attachment to the unique and unending event that transforms our lives.​

Happy Feast of Corpus Christi!​

Fr. Jean Jadotte
Pastor