Newsletter for Sunday 9 September 2018

7 Sep

“Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I do Adore”

It is this weekend that the National Eucharistic Congress is taking place in Liverpool to highlight the centrality of the Holy Eucharist in our Faith. This is why we are having just one Solemn Mass today (Sunday) so as the whole Parish can come together to honour Our Lord’s Real Presence. Our celebrations will conclude with a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Thank you to Father Anthony Meredith IC for coming to preach.

It was at the Last Supper that Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Priesthood. He took bread and broke it, saying to His Apostles, “This is My Body” (Luke 22:19). Then He took a chalice of wine, blessed it, and said, “All of you drink of this; for this is My Blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 22:20). We take Our Lord at His word. He meant what He said – that He would give us His Flesh and Blood as real food and drink for our souls. We have heard in recent weeks the whole of Chapter 6 of St John’s Gospel when Our Lord announced and promised the Eucharist. It was at the Last Supper He fulfilled that promise.

Some will say that the Eucharist only symbolises the Body and Blood of JESUS! But no! This is not what Our Lord said. He said that the bread is His Body and the wine is His Blood! He couldn’t have made it clearer. He is hidden under the appearance of bread and wine, but the whole substance of bread and wine is changed into the substance of His Body and Blood. This is our Faith. The Eucharist really is JESUS, and we must therefore treat It with the greatest reverence.

As we carry Our Lord in procession this weekend, if we are able, let us kneel in adoration as He passes us and ask Him for the grace of an increase in faith in His Real Presence. And as we do so, let us say with all the faith of St Thomas the Apostle, who when Our Lord showed Himself to him after the Resurrection knelt in adoration and proclaimed, “My Lord and My God!”

Fr Paul Gillham, IC

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