• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

  • Laudato Si’
    • Making Room: Lent Reflection Series
    • Celebrating the Season of Creation
    • Passion of the Earth, Wisdom of the Cross
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Small Grants to Implement Laudato Siˊ
    • Statement on Texas Elementary School Tragedy
  • Pray
    • Daily Reflections
    • Prayer Request
    • Sunday Homily
    • Passionist Spirituality and Prayer
    • Video: Stations of the Cross
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
  • Grow
    • The Passionist Way
    • Retreat Centers
    • Passionist Magazine
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Passionist Solidarity Network
    • Journey into the Mystery of Christ Crucified
    • Celebrating the Feast of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Subscribe to E-News
    • Passionist Ministries
      • Preaching
      • Hispanic Ministry
      • Haiti
      • Parish Life
      • Earth and Spirit Center
      • Education
      • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Vision Fulfillment Newsletters
    • Sacred Heart Monastery
      • History of Sacred Heart Monastery
      • A Day in the Life of Senior Passionists
      • “Pillars” of the Community
  • Join
    • Vocation Resources
    • Father Phillip Donlan, CP, Ordination
    • Are You Being Called?
    • Passionist Brothers
    • The Life of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Discerning Your Call
    • Pray With Us
    • Passionist Vocation Directors
    • World Day for Consecrated Life
    • Lay Partnerships
  • Connect
    • Find a Passionist
    • Passionist Websites
    • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Passionist Alumni Association
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
      • St. Gemma Circle of Giving Intentions
    • Leave a Legacy
      • Giving Matters
      • Ways to Give
      • Donor Relations
      • Testimonials
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
    • Privacy Policy Statement
  • Learn
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Our Founder
    • History
    • The Letters of St. Paul of the Cross
    • The Diary of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Mission and Charism
    • Saints and Blesseds
    • FAQs
    • Find a Passionist
    • STUDIES IN PASSIONIST HISTORY AND SPIRITUALITY
  • Safe Environments

Daily Scripture, June 3, 2018

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

Scripture:

Exodus 24:3-8
Hebrews 9:11-15
Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Reflection:

I don’t know about you, but I’m really glad that we don’t have to do animal sacrifices at church and then be sprinkled with blood for our sins to be forgiven! Can you imagine the mess and stench? Thank You Jesus for shedding Your own blood for us. Not only did He pay the price because He was the perfect sin offering, the spotless Lamb, but He also gave us His Body and Blood to be our spiritual food.

How blessed are we? We are the only church that believes in the True Presence and we are even able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist every day. As always, there is a danger when we do something often – it can become rote, and lose its meaning. It’s very important to be aware of the importance of what we are doing if we go to communion every day, or anytime we go. It’s easy to miss how great a mystery happens every day on altars around the world.

I read recently in a reflection by St. Faustina that many people receive Jesus as a “dead thing” when they go to communion. Either by not believing in the True Presence, by being distracted and just going out of habit, or by not being recollected. Apparently there are many Catholics who don’t believe in or understand transubstantiation.

I googled: “How many Catholics believe in the True Presence?” This is what I found: “About half of U.S. Catholics know the official teaching, and half do not. Of the half who know it, about 90 percent believe it. So, that translates to about 46 percent of all survey respondents.” In the second article from the National Catholic Register (2015) I read: “About 65% of practicing Catholics said the Eucharist is ‘the true presence of Jesus Christ,’ but a similar number of non-practicing Catholics said it is ‘a symbol.’”

Maybe it’s time to take a good look at how we receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Let’s ask Him to help us be more aware if necessary so that we can open ourselves up to the amazing grace available to us each time we go to communion. Let’s cherish this great gift Jesus offers to us each day and never take it for granted.

One more thing – if you have never read about the Eucharistic Miracles, I invite you to do so. You will be amazed.


Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Bainbridge Island, Washington,  and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently published her second book: God IS with Us. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

Footer

Facebook Feed

Support the Passionists

Contact the Passionists

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province
660 Busse Highway | Park Ridge, IL 60068
Tel: 847.518.8844 | Toll-free: 800.295.9048 | Fax: 847.518.0461
Safe Environments | Board Member Portal | Copyright © 2023 | Log in