Gospel: Luke
9:11b-17
Jesus spoke to the
crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As
the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss
the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find
lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to
them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five
loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for
all these people." Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he
said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down. 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.
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Reflection:
On Christmas day of 2013 in Legnica Poland a Consecrated Host fell to the floor. It was
subsequently picked up and placed in a container with water. Immediately after
immersing it in water red stains appeared on the Consecrated Host.
Then-Bishop of
Legnica, Stefan Cichy, created a group to monitor the host. In February 2014, a
small fragment was placed on a corporal and underwent testing by various
research institutes.
the fragments were
found containing the fragmented parts of a muscle. Likely similar to the heart
muscle.” Tests also determined the tissue to be of human origin, and found that
it bore signs of distress.
This past January, saying
that the Host “has the manifestation of a Eucharistic miracle. The current
bishop, bishop Kiernikowski presented the matter to the Vatican’s
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Last April the Vatican/Holy See
recommended that it should be venerated by the people.
Today is the Solemnity
of the Body and Blood of Christ, the same Body and Blood of Christ in the
appearance of the Holy Host that fell to the floor On Christmas day of 2013 in
Legnica Poland.
The same Body and
Blood of Christ that we partake during Holy Communion at Holy Mass. The same Body
and Blood of Christ that the sick receive in their house. When it is brought to them by a priest or by
an extra ordinary minister of the Holy Communion.
Do we give the Body
and Blood of Christ the proper respect and veneration when we partake of it? Do
we see to it that we are worthy to receive it by humbly submitting ourselves to
the Sacrament of Confession at least once a year?
In the gospel, the
crowd of about five thousand were hungry but there was no food to fill their
empty stomachs. Except for the five loaves and two fish no other food was
available and the disciples knew that it would not be enough to feed the hungry
crowd.
However, Jesus asked
for the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, said the blessing
over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the
crowd. And all of them were able to eat with many more to spare.
The miracle of the
feeding of the crowd happened because Jesus desired it. Every time we make
ourselves available for Holy Mass and we partake of His Body and Blood at Holy
Communion, Jesus desires it for us as well. Why? This is for the reason of the
infinite love and mercy of Jesus for all of us.
What have you done
so far to reciprocate the infinite love and mercy of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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