Receive what you are. Become what your receive.
Fr. Steve revisits his comments last week on ex-Cardinal McCarrick and the abuse among the clergy, and encourages us to pray that the Church may become purer, even though it may be smaller.
Today’s readings focus on the bread of life discourse. Fr. Steve gives some background to the Old-Testament account of the ministry of Elijah in which he challenged the 450 prophets of Baal. What is the Baal in our lives? Self-medication? Facebook? There is a rival to God in all of our lives. As Elijah fled Jezebel, God sustained him for forty days and nights on a small amount of food. The Eucharist is our viaticum (way bread), to sustain us on the journey to heaven, through this life. We need never be daunted by the state of the scandal in the Church because Jesus sustains us by His bread of life – the Eucharist.
The Eucharist often does not make us like unto Christ because we sin. When we freely choose sin we grieve the Holy Spirit. Sinful resentment blocks our healing and our transformation into Christ, it blocks us from receiving and giving love.
Let us open our hearts to Him and root out from our lives whatever Baal we secretly worship.
In his post-communion comments, Fr. Steve exhorts young men to consider whether they have a vocation to the priesthood. He also encourages us not to be downhearted about the current state of things, but to trust in the Lord.
