Gospel for June 11 2023 – John 6:51-58
Gospel Reflections for June 11 2023
A Sunday about Mass and Communion…
Jesus promises His food and drink will bring eternal life!
Anyone who meets the Lord always comes away happy. Jesus founded His Church and sacraments to make His meeting with you happen …starting each new day.
What is the Mass and why does it change?
The Mass is a means to an end …and that end is to meet Jesus personally. The Mass changes only to make that meeting easier and more authentic. Jesus empowers the Church to change it as needed …and remove any obstacles (Matt. 16:18). A big change was about 500 years ago when the Latin language was used everywhere since most people understood it.
Vatican II was a major change in 1965. Why was that?
The Church saw Catholics fighting each other in WWI, WWII, and the rise of Nazism and Communism. Over 150 million deaths! The Mass was having no effect on people! How to make the meeting with Jesus clearer? Change Latin to the local language since no one spoke Latin anymore..
Who decides how Mass is celebrated?
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal guides everything. It also allows variations for local customs and ethnic traditions. Bishops can change the Mass in emergencies too, e.g., even close churches, receive communion only in hand, etc. Pastors can also make changes with Bishop approval.
Where do we meet and revere Jesus in Church?
Before Mass …in the Tabernacle. During Mass …on the altar with the Priest who stands in His place. After Communion … inside you. (He wants to listen and speak personally to you right away!)
Most important time of all is your conversation with Jesus after your own communion.
There should be no distractions to your time with the Lord. You welcome His presence in your life and ask Him to help you change for the better. Think about the rest of your day. How will you be different …now with Jesus inside you?
AFTER COMMUNION TIME: The General Instruction only indicates your personal private prayer.
No mention of waiting for tabernacle closing. Immediately after receiving, sit or kneel and focus on Jesus inside you. (It is not just a time of rest until Mass finishes.)
DISMISSAL is the name of the whole event!
The Mass is a means to an end, and the end and purpose is your changed life! Take the person of Jesus you met at Mass to all those you meet the rest of the day!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Dear Father Dave,
Great message, thank you.
I’ve always felt that deep connection with Our Lord after Communion. My spiritual conversation with Him is near and dear with an overwhelming sense of peace.
God bless you.
Kathleen
I am glad to see that you value that after-communion time so well. It is so important!
Celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christie is a wonderful time to dwell on the importance and relevance of this Gift of Eucharist. God present. And within us Is a treasure of immense worth. As an Alter Server I responded to the Priest in Latin. Now we better understand what is going on in our own language.
Regardless the reception of Holy Communion remains the main essence of the Mass. Let us
Renew our Faith and Love with this Awesome event at every Mass we attend.
Great message, Tom, thank you!
Thank you Fr. Dave on a beautiful reflection on the Eucharist!
I think the time is now to show our love for Jesus in a deeper
and more prayerful way.
So let’s open our hearts in thankful praise and develop a relationship
with Him..
.
Yes, that is exactly the right thing to do!
Father Dave, Beautiful words as always!!!When I receive our precious Jesus at Holy Communion, I think of the preciousness of our Blessed Mother receiving Jesus from the apostleJohn when he took her into his home to care for her after our beautiful Jesus’ Resurrection!!! It warms my heart with love for I am a mother and what a precious, beautiful, amazing, spiritual gift to receive her Son at Masses said by John!!! I then love to talk to Jesus in my heart!!!I soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo love him!!!Thank you for spreading Jesus’ love to everyone!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, franca and Dick
Thank you!
Fr. Dave,
Thank you for reflection.
I am so grateful for the mass.
I love Jesus.
Well said!
Fr. Dave,
Your advise should inspire us all to attend daily mass. Those masses will make our days happy and blessed and assure our ultimate salvation!
Daily Mass is certainly a great spiritual habit for those who can attend.