On Wednesday our brothers and sisters in Venezuela suffered two devastating earthquakes resulting in tremendous damage and loss of life. Aid has begun to arrive, and many nations have begun to send support and rescue teams. There have been many rescues and stories of those who sacrificed their lives protecting others. Catholic Relief Services share the prayer below for Venezuela. Let us continue to pray for the victims and those who are serving as rescue workers.
Today we celebrate Father's Day. It is a day when we honor all fathers, and father figures. As we celebrate this day let us pray for all father's that they may continnue to be blessed and respected for all they do. Happy Father's Day to all.
God took the strength of a mountain,
Today we celebrate the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. In our Gospel today we hear the story of the sending out of the disciples. Jesus was moved with pity at the sight of the crowds for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Gathering the disciples he told them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Jesus sent the twelve out with authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. He further instructed them to give without cost and preach to all people.
This probably felt like a tremendous burden for the disciples. They were to go where they would potentially be rejected. These were fishermen not scholars. Humble men who were doing as they were told. Jesus called his disciples to make a difference. He sent them out to cure illnesses and preach the good news. Today we are called to do the same. We are called to make a difference in our world. Our world is very troubled right now and we are called to rise above that trouble and reach out in compassion and mercy.
There is a wonderful story of a young child on the seashore. The child is standing amid thousands of starfish who are on the shore out of the live giving water they needed. The child was standing there picking them up and tossing them back into the ocean. An older man came upon the sight and stood laughing at the child. He told the child, "You can't possibly save them all." As the child pitched another starfish back he said to the man,"Made a difference to that one." I love this story as it shows what we are called to do. We are called to simply make a difference in the way we can. Our loving God calls us to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God. Let us strive to make a difference in the way we can.
Today we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is Latin for the “Body of Christ.” In the Catholic Church in the West, Corpus Christi is celebrated as a solemnity on the Sunday following the Most Holy Trinity Sunday since the liturgical reforms of Vatican II. At its core the solemnity is a celebration of the Tradition and belief in the Eucharist as the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. In the Eucharistic prayer we hear proclaimed, “the bread of life, the cup of salvation.”
Bernadette Farrel has a song, “Bread for the World” which spoke deeply to me today.
Bread for the world A world of hunger Wine for all people People who thirst May we who eat Be bread for others May we who drink Pour out our love
Lord Jesus
Christ You are the bread of life Broken to reach and heal the wounds Of human pain Where we divide Your people You are waiting there On bended knee To wash our feet with endless care
Lord Jesus
Christ You are the wine of peace Poured into hearts once broken And where dryness sleeps Where we are tired and weary You are waiting there To be the way which beckons us Beyond despair
May we take
time this day to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ real presence in the
Eucharist. Whether you participate in a Eucharistic procession or simply spend
time in prayer this day may we continue to see Jesus as the bread of life and
the cup of salvation.
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