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Word To Life
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Sunday Scripture Readings: May 25, 2008
By Jean Denton
Catholic News Service
May 25, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Cycle A Readings:
1) Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a
Psalm 147:12-15,19-20
2) 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Gospel: John 6:51-58
We sat at the Easter Vigil Mass valiantly trying to stay awake. My friends Tom and Leah, their teenage daughter, Michelle, and I had arrived in this remote Haitian village in the late afternoon after traveling 12 hours. But it was midnight before the Mass began.
We weren't a bit tired when we first got there because of the excitement of being reunited with our friends. Our church community in Virginia and the parish in Cabestor, Haiti, have had a partnership for a dozen years. Guided by Tom and Haitian pastor Father Hermann, the parishes together have built three schools and developed several other projects there. In the process, our friendship has become very personal and close. So when we get together, it's like a family reunion.
Every time a group from our parish visits, our Haitian friends ask by name about members of our church whom they know -- even if they only spent a few days with them years ago. The Virginia parishioners have come to know the Haitians from stories and photos and from Father Hermann's periodic visits to our church.
There is a palpable sense of oneness among the people of both communities, largely because our relationship is based on our shared faith in Jesus -- something we continuously talk about and celebrate openly together.
We understand, experientially, this weekend's reading from Corinthians that says we, though many, are one body because we all partake of the same life of Christ.
Whenever I go to Haiti, I am blessed by intense experiences of Jesus, both through old friends and new people I meet each time. We are nourished by his real presence in each other.
In that late Easter watch, we were crowded in among our Haitian brothers and sisters, our skin touching theirs. When Father Hermann offered the eucharistic prayer, he movingly, lovingly reminded us how the blood of Christ flows through his body.
Holding the cup aloft he said, "He took the cup. He remembered Tom, he remembered Leah, he remembered Michelle, he remembered Jean, and he remembered all of us. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples and said, take this, all of you, and drink from it, this is the cup of my blood."
QUESTIONS:
How have you experienced being many, but one body, in Christ? How do you -- or will you -- allow your life to flow into another as nourishment?
SCRIPTURE TO BE ILLUSTRATED:
"The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 10:16)
END
Copyright © 2006 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS Word To Life column may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service.
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