Solemnity of Corpus Christi
We’re moving into summer now, with most graduations complete, and our own OLPH school students now finished for the year. As we move into the summer I want to encourage you to keep the Lord in the center of all things, both in your daily prayer and in your weekly celebration of Mass each Sunday. We all know the adage “actions speak louder than words” – it’s always easy to say we love the Lord, but more of a challenge to rearrange our schedules and go out of our way to say it with our actions by offering Him our worship each Sunday at Mass, whether we are at home or on vacation. Sometimes in the midst of a busy schedule we can say, “Certainly the Lord understands…” and so decide to skip Mass. This way of thinking tends to get things backwards: it’s as if the Lord is benefitting from our participation as Mass, and He would understand when we just can’t make it. The truth is that we are in need of the love, grace and power that flows from the Eucharist each Sunday. It’s not so much that we’re doing God a favor by coming to Mass, but that He is giving us the greatest favor and grace of all: a share in His divine life through the Body and Blood of Christ. So I pray that each of us will be remain close to the Lord in these days of summer, especially through the gift of the Sacraments.
I’m looking forward to our annual Parish Picnic this Sunday evening and am grateful to our Pastoral Council for helping to organize it each year. What a joy it is to gather together as a parish family for no other reason than to be together and enjoy the many good gifts God has given to us!
