Given and Received

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 22:30; 23:6-11 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~

~~~ John 17:20-26 ~~~

Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me...

Have you ever considered yourself as a gift to another person?
The first year my husband and I celebrated Christmas
as a married couple I wrapped up a big box
put a big bow in my hair
and put my chin on top of the back of the box.
I joyfully announced that I was his Christmas gift.
We were poor newly weds spending
 the holidays away from our families.

We still laugh about that time today some
forty years after the fact.

Jesus is telling the Father, with much joy,
that we are his gift.
He is so excited with his gift
 that he does not want to leave us behind.

We often hear people speak about not being able
 to take this or that with them when they die.

These things are mostly referring to our material
worldly possessions.

Here Jesus is speaking about taking us with him.
When you truly love another separation is painful.
Jesus knows that we belong with him
just as all gifts are for the recipient.

Gifts are chosen specifically for the intended receiver.
It is no different when it comes to the gift
 the Father chose for the Son.

You and I were chosen to be given to the Son...
we are his gifts.
We were not chosen haphazardly.
We were chosen by Divine intention.

This time of year we have many occasions to give
 a gift to someone...weddings, graduation, birthdays...

As you are shopping for the next gift consider,
 for just a moment the very gift that person
 is not just to you but for Jesus.

The Father gave all of us as gift to Jesus...
even those who we would not consider as gift.

Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me..

I can only imagine how Jesus spoke of us
with great enthusiasm and joy.

God the Father could not have chosen
a better gift for Jesus than to give him you.

Blessed to be given and received in love.
~~~Peace~~~

All Who Ate Were Satisfied

The Most Holy

Body and Blood

of Christ

 

~~Genesis 14:18-20~~Psalm 110~~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26~~Luke 9:11b-17~~

 

Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets.

 

 

Jesus looked up to heaven...to God the Father...

Demonstrating his connection with the Father and

his obedience to him in all things.

 

He said the blessing over the few loaves and fishes.

Nothing is too meager or too insignificant for God to work on his behalf.

 

Jesus breaks the bread and it turns into abundance

right before the eyes of the apostles.

The bread is broken.

Because of its brokenness it feeds thousands that day.

This is truly what we remember today...

the broken body of Jesus and the pouring out of his blood.

Through his sacrifice we are given the gift of the Eucharist...

abundantly and forever feeding us and blessing us.

 

All who ate of these tiny fragments of bread and fish were satisfied.

It is only through the blessing, said over these few offerings,

 that everyone who ate was satisfied.

 

How much food must you consume before you are satisfied?

 

Not only were all who ate satisfied,

they had twelve baskets of leftover fragments remaining.

 

Leftovers from God and for God.

 

How many people think of God as merely their leftovers.

How many people try in vain to satisfy their hunger on that which is not of God?

 

Lord, you satisfy the hungry heart.

I believe in the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It sustains and nourishes my soul.

Thank you, Lord, for this wondrous gift.

Given, Taken, Broken

Holy Thursday the Triduum begins, one liturgical celebration full

of wonder, awe, joy, and sorrow tightly bound together.

Exodus 12: 1-8, 11-14 ~~~ Psalm 116 ~~~ 1 Cor. 11: 23-26 ~~~ John 13: 1-15

Today may we be drawn into the most beautiful mystery of our faith; that of the Eucharist. Today may we be compelled to enter into the deepest gratitude for this gift. The gift of the Eucharist makes all other gifts pale in comparison for truly nothing can compare to the Body and Blood of Our Lord.

May we desire to never take the Eucharist for granted. May we approach the altar with not only open hands, but an open heart. May we love the Eucharist so much that it illuminates our souls for all to see. May we be granted new eyes today...eyes that see no longer a host but only pure love.

Psalm 116 is my favorite psalm...how can I make a return to the Lord for all he has done for me? I will take the cup of salvation if only to call upon the name of the Lord.

I join the cantor in singing "I am your servant, the son (daughter) of your handmaid."

I wish there were many more verses to this psalm; actually there are we just do not have time to sing them all.

St. Paul writes to us of the connection to our heritage. What is received from the Lord is to be handed on to others. This ritual with the bread and cup have stood through time to represent to us his holy presence at every Mass. At every Mass we proclaim the death of the Lord steeped in thanksgiving for our salvation.

Given, Taken, Broken

Given Thanks, Taken Bread, Broken Body

John gives us the vivid imagery of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. Allow all of your senses to be engaged in the story. Jesus rose...took off his outer garments...tied a towel around his waist...he washed their feet.

"Do you realize what I have done for you?
I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you,
you should also do."