Dear Followers of Jesus,
For several weeks in a row, the Sunday gospel leads us to and teaches us about the Eucharist. Today, John 6:24- 35 says, “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.’”
We are all hungry for something. We are hungry to belong, to live in peace and harmony. We all want to have a voice in the world and to find our way in hope. We want to be free from our past abuse or scrupulosity. We desire to live for others and to be people of integrity. We hunger for many things, some of which are fleeting and many of which are a lifelong journey. God alone satisfies the soul.
Every week we come to Mass because we know that the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist heals us more than we can imagine. We will never hunger or be thirsting again when we take our faith seriously, when we can connect the Eucharist and our deepest hungers.
Here are some questions to reflect upon after we leave Mass this weekend, to make sure that the Eucharist is made real in our lives.
Why do you come to Mass? Why is this time important for you?
What does the Eucharist mean to you? Why do you return to it time and time again?
How do you interpret the Eucharist? Do you view it as a ticket to heaven or can we see the Eucharist as Jesus’ Real Presence here on earth challenging us to live differently?
What are you most hungry for in life? Is it integrity, a voice in our world, healing for your soul, justice for people, sobriety, housing, or what? How does the Eucharist feed and satisfy these hungers? How do you find Jesus in the Eucharistic celebration?
How have you lived your life differently because of the Eucharist? How does the Eucharist lead you to tenderness, mercy and joy?
What does it mean for you to connect the Eucharist and service within our world? Why is serving others a result of coming to communion? What does the Eucharist have to do with peace, relieving hunger, justice, hope and integrity?
The bulletin cover today is a photo of the Crucifix that now sits between the statue of Mary and the statue of Joseph in Sacred Heart Church. This gold Crucifix is from the original high altar from 1922. This Crucifix was in storage in the basement of the church. Now, it has a prominent place again in our worship space. I found this Crucifix late in the restoration process and I am very grateful that we can all enjoy its meaning, history and beauty for years to come.
Blessings to you all,
Fr. Ron
Broken But Not Divided 
I would greatly appreciate it if I could start getting your Blog Post every weekend. It would be wonderful if you could send it to my email:
albersc1947@gmail.com
I get you reflections on my cell phone but I don’t know how to put it on to my computer so I can print it out on my computer. God bless you!
Dear Fr. Ron, your discovery of that crucifix in the church basement is so timely and symbolic! When I look at the crucifix, that David Clark Isele refrain from St. Paul flows through my memory, “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects our faith.” At the Cathedral we are now singing the Lamb of God from the Notre Dame mass! What a joy it is! Sal Soria, our organist, when he asked me if I knew David Isele, I told him that David gave me my first audition with the Chapel Choir, and was our director until Sue Seid-Martin came, and that I was deeply familiar with the music he wrote for us. Thanks as always, Ron, for sharing your insights, and questions for us to ponder. “Grace to you and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord, Jesus Christ.” -Phil 1.2