House of Refuge: Archdiocesan Pro-Life Mass / Feast of Saint James, Apostle (2 Corinthians 4:7-15; Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6; Matthew 20:20-28)

If I am to be completely honest, there are times it can be a real struggle to not feel a little bit defeated when it comes to the pro-life movement in the United States.  It can be difficult to be positive when portions of our society brazenly celebrate death, such as the sudden deaths of Charlie Kirk and Lindsey Graham.  

We are temped to reduce our pro-life focus to abortion, and for good reason considering abortion remains the preeminate priority.  Even with that focus, the number of abortions in our country has actually increased since the Dobbs decision.  On top of that there is an unknown number of unchecked chemical abortions.  For every child (that we know of) killed as a result of abortion, three more are killed through IVF.   Every single year, a population twice the population within the Archdiocese of Saint Louis is wiped out before having a chance to draw its first breath.  

That said, the attacks on the unborn constitute only one front of the war between the Culture of Life and the Culture of Death.  Transgender surgeries, same sex marriages, euthanasia and other attacks against human dignity continue to expand at an alarming rate.  The scale of attack is absolutely staggering.

Closer to home, we have an opportunity to correct a grave error in November.  We have the opportunity to remove the open door of death that was enshrined in the Missouri constitution.  Certainly, we need to pray, fast, and give alms that Amendment 3 will pass successfully to lift this curse that has been placed upon our state.

At the same time, we must remember that even if things go our way in future elections, the battle will continue.  The true enemy, the enemy of the Cross of Christ, is not of flesh and blood.  The enemy is cunning, baffling, relentless and persistent.  The enemy of the Cross of Christ will stop at nothing to see our spiritual destruction and the undermining (if not outright demise) of the Catholic faith.

The enemy seeks to separate us along the dividing lines of identity groups, economic class, and other secular definitions of what it claims defines a human person.  The reality is that the enemy does not care about the Truth or the innocent other.  The enemy only cares about self.

Make no mistake: The political system and the secular media are the enemy’s native domains.  While we must fight on that turf in an attempt to save lives and protect the vulnerable, politics is not where this war will be won.  Ultimately, the victory will not be declared in Jefferson City nor in Washington, D.C.  This war will only be won on the battlefield of the human heart.  

The Church has the battle plan for this type of warfare.  That battle plan can be summed up in one word: Solidarity.  Pope Saint John Paul II defined solidarity as “a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good”.  

Solidarity was the heroic virtue of many of the saints we honor, including Maximilian Kolbe, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, and from a different perspective, James the Apostle, whose feast day we celebrate today.  It was the virtue of solidary that enabled Our Lady to allow her heart to be pierced along side the Heart of our Blessed Lord. These great saints (and many others) had the opportunity to escape death, but instead chose martyrdom by witnessing to the virtue of solidarity.  

Solidarity is now the key to protecting human dignity from womb to tomb and unchaining the millions who are imprisoned by the delusional shackles of the enemy.

What must we do?  Again, pray, fast, and give alms for the intention of the defeat of the Culture of Death in all its manifestations.  But also, I encourage you to actively reach out to others, who feel marginalized.  I encourage you to help them fulfill their desires to have healthy interaction and nurturing relationships within our parish communities.  I encourage you to help them participate in our parish activities and fulfill their duty to seek the common good, irrespective of any apparent differences as defined by social norms.  

When we allow ourselves to be defined by false identities of social norms, when we allow those false identities to define our sense of human dignity and self worth, it becomes very difficult to see the Truth.  In that situation, it is very common to reject the Truth (sometimes in a very severe manner) when we are confronted by the Truth.  

But that shell can be melted by love.  The shell can be melted for those in our communities that desperately need the healing light of Christ in their lives.

In Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Pope Saint John Paul II said, “Solidarity helps us to see the ‘other’...to be made a sharer, on a par with ourselves, in the banquet of life to which all are equally invited by God. Hence the importance of reawakening the religious awareness of individuals and peoples.”  

Brothers and sisters, this is our moment to reach out and walk with someone on their journey with God.  This is our moment to be an instrument that makes God’s love visible in the life of another.

Incarnate Word has recently entered into a bold new chapter of our commitment to the dignity of every human life.  Incarnate Word is now known as a House of Refuge.  This is our answer to the call of Pope Francis to be bruised, hurting and dirty because we have been out on the streets.  This is our attempt to reach out to those in need of the healing light of Christ, those in need of the “Joy of the Gospel”.   This is our attempt to walk with them in their hurts and pains, and ultimately be the light of Christ for them.

After Mass, I invite you to stick around to pray a rosary for pro-life intentions.  Also after Mass, I invite you to meet one of our House of Refuge committee members (wearing blue T-shirts) in front of the church to learn more about this exciting ministry.  For information can be found on the Incarnate Word website to learn more about this important work empowering the children of God to make life affirming choices.

I will now read to you our House of Refuge Statement:

Incarnate Word is a House of Refuge.  This applies to you, everyone in this parish, and people you know who may be experiencing an unplanned or unsupported pregnancy, or some other life issue, and in need of a place of refuge. 

This is what we believe: 

Every child, no matter how they are conceived, is an image bearer of God, knit together in the womb by Him.  Please know that being pregnant is not a sin, and the child you carry is not a punishment.  Regardless of the circumstances, we want you to know that you and your child are loved, and we are here to support you. 

While we will never encourage or support the decision to have an abortion, it is important for you to know how this parish will respond to those facing unplanned or unsupported pregnancies and other life-related issues. 

This is what we will not do: 

This parish will not gossip about you, shame you, or abandon you. This is a House of Refuge.  We will not allow the family of God to harm others with words or actions contrary to the love God has revealed in His Word and in His Sacraments. 

This is what we will do: 

We will walk with you every step of the way, helping you carry and care for your child both before and after birth.  There are people in this parish ready to walk with you, celebrate with you, and connect you with resources inside and outside of our parish.  We will also encourage and support men to become loving fathers who protect women and children.  

If you are considering placing your child for adoption, please know we are here to encourage and support you as you make this loving decision.   

If you are open to adopting a child or providing foster care, we are here to support you as well.  We will walk with you and provide resources and community engagement to help you answer this holy call to care for children desperately in need of a good family. 

If you have had an abortion or have been involved in an abortion, we want you to know that abortion is not an unforgivable sin.  As it says in Proverbs, "Whoever confesses and forsakes their sin finds mercy."   We are here to love you, support you, and walk with you to find complete healing and spiritual freedom. 

If you sit among us, but feel marginalized, feel unwelcomed, or feel as if you do not have a place for any reason, we are here to love and support you as well.  Let us hear your story.  Together, let us discover your true dignity and worth in the love of Jesus Christ. 

As a House of Refuge, we are here for you, not as a judge, but as a conduit for the comforting grace of Jesus Christ.  Remember, you are not alone.  Fear is normal, but temporary.  If you would like a supportive mentor to walk with you every step of the way, please contact the House of Refuge by calling the parish office, extension 491.

Thanks be to God!

Intentions

For the Church, that every parish may be a true House of Refuge where all people encounter the mercy, truth, and healing light of Jesus Christ, we pray to the Lord.

For mothers and fathers, especially those facing unsupported pregnancies, that they may find hope, courage, and loving support within our parish communities, we pray to the Lord.

For every unborn child, created in the image and likeness of God, that each life may be welcomed, protected, and cherished from conception to natural death, we pray to the Lord.

For families, especially adoptive and foster parents, and all who open their hearts and homes to children in need, that God may strengthen and bless them in their vocation of love, we pray to the Lord.

For those who carry the wounds of past abortions or other painful life experiences, that they may encounter God's infinite mercy, receive healing, and know the peace of His forgiveness, we pray to the Lord.

For our parish families, that we may always reflect Christ's compassion by welcoming, accompanying, and serving every person with dignity and charity, we pray to the Lord.

For all who feel isolated, rejected, or uncertain of their place in the Church, that they may experience the light of Christ through our welcome, our listening, and our witness, we pray to the Lord.

For men, that they may faithfully embrace responsibilities of fatherhood with courage, tenderness, and selfless love, we pray to the Lord.

For all of us gathered here, that the Holy Spirit may help us defend the dignity of every human person and become instruments of Christ's mercy, hope, and peace, we pray to the Lord.

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Actual Grace: Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Jeremiah 3:14-17; Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13; Matthew 13:18-23)

One of the key points of the Parable of the Sower of the Seed is that the seed (the blessing or grace of God, if you will) is perfect and distributed equally to everyone. The variation in the harvest is entirely due to the condition of the soil (that is to say, the human soul).

Or as Saint Macarius of Egypt said, “Grace is like the sun. It shines on all, but only those who open their eyes and look up receive the light. The soul must be willing and awake, or the light passes by unnoticed.”

As I reflected on this core theme, I could not help but think about the continued confusion around “Fiducia Supplicans”, especially since it has resurfaced in the wake of the SSPX controversies.  

If you recall from our past conversations, “Fiducia Supplicans” was intended to be a positive message of comfort, care, and encouragement within the Truth of sexual morality.  At the same time, it was intended to express the mercy of God and the motherhood of the Church.

The negative reaction to the document confirms a profound misunderstanding of actual grace, as well as profound misunderstandings of the blessings offered by the Church and the love God has for humanity.

Actual grace is the temporary, freely given supernatural intervention of God that enlightens the mind and strengthens the will. It is a momentary "nudge" or spiritual push designed to help a person perform specific good actions, avoid evil, or respond to God's call.

It is in this vein that “Fiducia Supplicans” calls for pastoral, spontaneous, and non-liturgical blessings. It establishes individuals in irregular situations can be blessed as a plea for God's grace, but strictly emphasizes that this does not bless the union itself or confer any moral legitimacy.

Conversion is never merely psychological, emotional, or self-generated. At its root it is supernatural. God acts first when He grants the soul light. He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and draws the soul toward repentance by actual grace.  The interior cause of conversion is actual grace.

Grace illumines the intellect so the sinner can begin to see the Truth…begin to see the ugliness of sin…begin to see the reality of eternity…begin to see the necessity of the Cross and redemptive suffering.

Grace also strengthens the will to move toward repentance.  Grace heals and elevates freedom in that the will may choose the good.

Without actual grace, no sinner can ever return to God. With actual grace, even the hardest heart can be changed.

The Council of Trent says that the sinner is “moved and aided by divine grace” to convert for his own justification (Session VI, Chap. 5). This statement preserves both truths: grace moves first, but man truly cooperates.

Therefore, pastoral blessings, such as those described in “Fiducia Supplicans”, become a work of mercy, spreading the seed of God on all types of soil hoping to cultivate and fertilize the ground of the soul in that the actual grace of faith and conversion will bear fruit.

While the Church can never bless sin, including same-sex relationships as well as our own personal sins; the Church has always blessed all people, including those that may be in a state of mortal sin.  The Church has always blessed the sinner, just not the sin.  And praise God for that, otherwise I probably would not be standing before you today.  

Through the blessings of the Church, actual grace can enable the conversion of a soul and generate a contrite heart that can lead a person to a good and holy confession.  

Through the blessings of the Church, the Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Thanks be to God!

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לחם הפנים: Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8; Isaiah 38:10, 11, 12abcd, 16; Matthew 12:1-8)

We hear about the Bread of Presence periodically throughout the cycle of readings, but we rarely discuss what it is or how it fits into our faith.

The Bread of Presence first appears in the Book of Exodus when God commands Moses to place the bread on the Golden Table in the Tabernacle.  From that moment, it was the responsibility of the Levitical priests to prepare twelve fresh loaves of the bread each Sabbath, one for each tribe of Israel.

Even though the Passover is the defining sign of the Mosaic covenant, the Bread of Presence was an essential piece of Israel’s sacramental life.  Each Sabbath, the Levitical priests would present freshly baked bread to the Lord and then consume the bread that had rested before the Lord throughout the week.  This was not an ordinary meal.  Scripture refers to it as “most holy”.  The priests would do these things on behalf of the Israelites as a participation in the Lord’s covenant.

This was a covenant meal celebrated before God Himself.  Further, it represented the unity of the twelve tribes, their complete dependence on the Lord for every blessing, and a constant reminder of God’s presence among His people.

It is easy for us to look back at the rituals of the Mosaic Covenant with a bias that it was too legalistic, too ritualistic, and too focused on sacrifice.  But that perspective misses the point.  Every sacrifice, every feast, every ritual and every sacred sign points to divine mercy.  

In Hebrew, Lechem haPanim ( לחם הפנים), literally means "Bread of the Face".  In the ancient world, if you saw the king’s face, that meant you had found favor and mercy with him.  As such, the Bread of Presence was a proclamation that the twelve tribes of Israel stood continually before the face of God.  Despite their sinfulness and despite their unfaithfulness, Israel was constantly remembered and held in his gaze.

In the ancient world, sharing a table and breaking bread was the ultimate sign of peace, reconciliation, and covenant solidarity.  As such, the Bread of Presence represents a continuous invitation of peace to the twelve tribes of Israel.  Beneath the perception of wrath or legalistic scrutiny is the reality of a Father’s mercy and familial communion.

This was especially visible during the great pilgrimage feasts.  During the feasts, the priests would bring the Bread of Presence out of the Holy of Holies in order for the pilgrims to adore it in the courtyard.  On such occasions, the priests would declare, “Behold, God’s love for you!”  The holy bread was a visible sign of divine love and mercy.

Of course all of this ultimately points to the Eucharist.  What was real, yet anticipatory, under the Old Covenant, becomes complete and fulfilled in Christ.  The bread that symbolized God's abiding presence has given way to the Bread that truly is His Presence. No longer do we merely stand before a sign of God's favor—we come before Jesus Christ Himself, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

For us at Incarnate Word, this carries particular significance as we celebrate twenty-five years of perpetual adoration.

Periodically, I am asked what makes Incarnate Word thrive while neighboring parishes are subsumed or at best simply survive.  Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit and how we cooperate with His grace to make God’s love visible to the community around us.

One of the greatest ways we cooperate with His grace is perpetual adoration.  In adoration, we come before the true Bread of Presence.  We place ourselves beneath the loving gaze of Christ, and in turn, He transforms us: families renewed, vocations awakened, communities strengthened, and lives sanctified.

As Pope Saint Paul VI said, “Our Holy Hour of Eucharistic adoration acknowledges Christ as the spiritual center of our community.”

For those of you that are part of the perpetual adoration team, thank you.  I have no doubt, Incarnate Word would not be the community it is today without your quiet witness and steadfast prayer.  

Those of you not currently part of the perpetual adoration team, I invite you to consider it. Not simply because the parish could use another adorer, but because every one of us needs to spend time in the presence of the One who loves us most.

The Bread of the Presence was once a sign that God remembered His people. Today, in the Eucharist, we encounter the One who not only remembers us but gives Himself entirely to us.

Through Your Eucharistic presence, You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.

Thanks be to God!

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Fidelity in the Word, in the Works, and in the Presence of Christ: Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14, 17; Matthew 10:16-23)

In the Catechism we read:

"This Kingdom shines out before men in the word, in the works and in the presence of Christ."  To welcome Jesus' word is to welcome "the Kingdom itself."  The seed and beginning of the Kingdom are the "little flock" of those whom Jesus came to gather around him, the flock whose shepherd he is.  They form Jesus' true family.  To those whom he thus gathered around him, he taught a new "way of acting" and a prayer of their own.

The Lord Jesus endowed his community with a structure that will remain until the Kingdom is fully achieved. Before all else there is the choice of the Twelve with Peter as their head. Representing the twelve tribes of Israel, they are the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem.  The Twelve and the other disciples share in Christ's mission and his power, but also in his lot.  By all his actions, Christ prepares and builds his Church.

These are among the foundational realities behind the creed we profess each Sunday.  All Catholics profess to believe our Blessed Lord gave one Church, a visible structure, choosing the Twelve Apostles with Saint Peter as their head. This one Church continues today, united under the Successor of Peter and the bishops in full communion with him.

Challenges to these truths of the faith are nothing new.  We have talked in the past about the Great Schism as well as the Protestant Reformation.  There are other concerning movements, such as Sedevacantism which holds that the Seat of Peter (or the Papacy) has been vacant since 1958.

Another example that has been in the news lately is the consecration of the SSPX bishops.  The SSPX, which stands for the Society of Saint Pius X, is a schismatic group originating in 1970 that sees itself as preserving traditional Catholicism and remaining faithful to the Church's historic teaching. 

Unfortunately, the SSPX has forgotten that authentic fidelity to tradition cannot be separated from obedience and fidelity to the hierarchy of the Church.

The SSPX consecrations undermine Church unity and papal authority, both of which are part of the tradition the SSPX claims to preserve.   The consecration of bishops is an ecclesial act that expresses communion with the Successor of Peter and the Church Magisterium.  Papal consent is required for the ordination of new bishops to ensure this communion.  To ordain bishops against the explicit will of the Holy Father is to strike at the very principle of unity Christ Himself established.

The Church has been very clear on this for decades.  As part of Pope Saint John Paul II’s response to illicit ordinations, the Holy See made it clear this is a line that cannot be crossed. Yet, the SSPX made their choice in 1988 and again just a few days ago.  

The reality is that the problems with the SSPX go well beyond the illicit ordinations: they reject the Second Vatican Council, they reject Papal authority, they reject the validity of the Ordinary Form of the Mass.  The SSPX has consistently disregarded juridic actions of the Magisterium since its original suppression in 1975.

In 1973, Our Lady of Akita warned of “cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops”, or perhaps through the lens of our Gospel today, brother against brother.  Our Lady’s warning of schism seemingly unheeded.

As faithful Catholics, we must never lose sight of where Christ promised His authority would remain. In today's Gospel, Jesus declares that the Spirit of the Father speaks through Peter and the Apostles. That apostolic authority continues through their legitimate successors, united with the Bishop of Rome.

We must trust in the promises of Christ, even when we see confusion and dissonance around us.  Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom and promised the gates of hell will never prevail over His Church.  The one true Church that shines out before men in the word, in the works, and in the presence of Christ.

In full communion with Pope Leo and the Church Magisterium, my mouth will declare your praise.

Thanks be to God!

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Patience and Salvation: Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (1 John 5:1-5; Psalm 126:1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6; John 12:24-26)

Today is the memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong.

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong was a soldier in China who helped escort a Catholic bishop to prison. While carrying out orders to persecute Christians, he encountered the bishop's faith and courage. Through God's patience and grace, he eventually converted to Christianity, was baptized, became a priest, and later suffered martyrdom himself during the persecution of Catholics.  

From a certain perspective, you could say he was a weed that became wheat that would later die to produce much fruit.

In Saint Augustine’s time, Christian missionaries and converts were imprisoned, tortured, and executed, while many of their persecutors appeared to hold power and authority.

As we often see, God did not immediately punish those involved in persecution. Instead, He showed patience. Saint Augustine himself benefited from that patience: before his conversion, he was part of the Christian oppression. Had God acted only in judgment, Augustine might never have had the opportunity to repent and become a saint.

His life demonstrates that God's patience is ordered toward salvation. The same patience that allows evildoers time to continue in their ways also gives them the opportunity to change. Augustine's conversion from a soldier carrying out persecution to a faithful priest and martyr is a powerful example of how God can transform a sinner into a saint.

In his monthly challenge, Archbishop Lori requests that we reach out to a family member or friend and invite them to go to the sacrament of penance.

In this challenge, he asks us to reflect on the following questions;  In what ways are you like wheat, and in what ways are you like a weed? Are you envious or disturbed by those who lead unholy lives but seem to prosper? Do you find it difficult to love the “weeds” in your life, to pray for and work toward their salvation?

Whether we more resemble a weed or wheat, or even if we feel like we are surrounded by nothing but weeds, we can be grateful that God's patience is ordered to salvation.  We can trust God to give opportunities through which He brings about repentance, conversion, and ultimately holiness.

In the spirit of patience and repentance, those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Thanks be to God!

The Flesh or My Flesh: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14; Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30)

Throughout Scripture, we encounter two radically different uses of the word “flesh”.  In our second reading, we hear about the failings of “the flesh”.  At the same time, in the Gospel of John, Jesus commands us to eat “My Flesh”. 

On the surface, these phrases sound nearly identical.  In fact, many well-meaning Christians conflate the two, leading to a profound misunderstanding of not only Scripture, but also a profound misunderstanding of salvation itself.  At the same time, the distinction between the two is the difference between death and eternal life. 

When Scripture speaks of “the flesh”, it refers to our human nature.  There are two absolute truths we must understand about our human nature: 

“The flesh” is deeply wounded: Through Original Sin, we were robbed of our Original Dignity by the Father of Lies.  We were left spiritually bankrupt, left to live a life without grace.  As a result, "the flesh" is broken, selfish, and proud. It is not inherently evil, but it is deeply compromised—constantly prone to temptation and concupiscence. 

Despite this brokenness, “the flesh” is inherently good: It is fragile and broken, but it is fundamentally good because God created it.  We know this with certainty because God Himself became flesh.  He inhabited our vulnerable human existence, restoring its dignity…a dignity we receive through baptism. 

Still, left to its own devices, "the flesh" is a state of spiritual death. 

But Jesus makes perhaps the most bold and substantial statements of all salvation history when He says “My Flesh”.  The consequences of these statements cannot be overstated. 

That is because salvation happens through "My Flesh."  Jesus did not save us in theory; nor did Jesus did not save us in Word alone.  Jesus died in a real, physical, human body on the Cross.  

Through the Mass, we truly participate in that once and for all sacrifice on the Cross, and through that participation our mortal bodies are redeemed. 

We consume “My Flesh” every single time we receive the Eucharist.  Jesus promised in the Gospel of John that when we eat His Flesh, He dwells in us and we in Him.  This is exactly what Saint Paul refers to in today’s reading: He gives “life to your mortal bodies, through his Spirit that dwells in you.” 

That is because through the Eucharist, we are in communion with His resurrected body.  As Saint Ignatius of Antioch declared in the early second century, the Eucharist is nothing less than the "medicine of immortality." 

Let us be very, very clear:  Objectively speaking, apart from the Eucharist and the Sacramental Life Jesus Christ instituted in the Catholic Church, we are hopeless debtors enslaved to our own broken inclinations.  "The flesh", cut off from the Flesh of the Son of Man, can only inherit death.

You may ask why so many confuse the two?  You may ask why this core truth of Christianity is hidden from so many? 

Our Gospel reading gives us the sobering answers to those questions.  Those who rely on their own wisdom—those who believe that merely picking up a Bible and declaring Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior is enough—remain blind to the hidden mysteries of God.  They are blind because these mysteries are only revealed through the Sacramental Life that Jesus Christ instituted in the one church He built. 

When we live merely in “the flesh”—when we choose to live outside the Sacramental Life—we lack the spiritual capacity to grasp the greatest mysteries of God.

Or as we just heard Saint Paul put it, “Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”

As the Mystical Body of Christ, we Catholics are uniquely privileged.  We are the ones to whom Jesus chooses to reveal the Father to the fullest extent possible. 

Think of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.  They simply did not recognize Jesus Christ through Scripture alone.  They only came to know Him in the Breaking of the Bread.  That exact moment of Breaking of the Bread is what we call the Mass today—the precise second the priest breaks the Host at the altar, placing us at the foot of the Cross, truly participating in the Paschal Mystery. 

Through the Incarnation, Jesus makes the invisible Father visible to mortal eyes.  It is then through the Mass, we continue to look upon Him with our own physical eyes.  It is only by touching, hearing, tasting, and therefore physically encountering the Flesh of the Son of Man that we are pulled into the deepest recesses of the intimate, burning life of the most Holy Trinity. 

I must ask you:  When you come to Mass, do you actually come seeking a physical encounter with the Son of Man?  Do you hear His living voice in the Gospel?  Do you look at the altar with eyes of faith and see the mysteries of God unfolding before you?  Do you realize that you are feeling His Flesh and tasting His Blood through the Eucharist?  Does your heart burn within you—like the disciples at Emmaus—with the grace of the Flame of Love as you truly receive Him? 

If your answer to any of these questions is "no", then maybe it is time to courageously ask yourself why.  What part of "the flesh" are you still clinging to that prevents you from truly experiencing Him?   What misconceptions from non-Catholic influences keeps you from truly believing the Eucharist is true meat and true drink, just as Jesus declared in the Gospel of John?  What broken habit, what secret pride, what lingering sin are you holding onto that forbids you from abandoning yourself to the Sacramental Life? 

Do not settle for a life lived merely in "the flesh".  Abandon yourself to Jesus Christ right now, today, through this and every single Mass.  Bring your labors, your anxieties, and your burdens to the altar.  If you can do that, they will be transformed by the Paschal Mystery into grace. Through the Eucharist, remain in Him, so that He may remain in you.  Objectively speaking, that is the only way you will ever find true rest in this life, and everlasting peace in the life to come.

Abiding in the Flesh of Jesus Christ, I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

Thanks be to God!