Reflections from the Heart – June 19, 2022

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” As we consume Holy Communion and as Holy Communion consumes us, we must place our hands on our hearts and meditate this awesome miracle and contemplate this great mystery of God’s redeeming love and sanctifying grace. Jesus actually and really enters us willingly and unreservedly bringing with him all his grace and blessing, glory and mercy, healing and patience, pardon and peace. He brings his light and love, hope and healing, nourishment and strength. As Jesus enters us, we enter the Father’s heart. We remain in him and he remains in us. As we contemplate this great mystery of faith, hope and pure devotion, we must stop, place our hands over our hearts in order to draw ever closer to this gift, this amazing gift, God’s greatest miracle that has been poured into our hearts as spiritual food and nourishing drink. We must learn how to pray. We must learn how to pray more. We must learn how to pray better. We must want to pray more – more reverently, more devoutly, more lovingly, more trustingly, more than anything else.  Prayer is the awesome gift of God. He actually stoops down to hear us, to be with us, to give us what we need. Through prayer, we become the children of God, temples of his Holy Spirit, tabernacles of his Holy Glory. Through prayer, we are blessed, healed, loved, consoled, forgiven. Through prayer, we are able to obtain our deepest desire and fulfill our life’s destiny – Holy Communion with God. Through prayer, we become the precious gift we actually and truly receive – Jesus. The Mass is the most amazing prayer of them all. Imagine for a moment if you can, that God loves us mostly, truly and really in the Mass. Consider this the next time you receive Holy Communion. Take a moment of sacred silence to ponder the miracle you just received. Place your hands over your heart. Draw all your attention and intention to the precious gift flowing ever so freely in you. Imagine the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus really, actually and truly flowing through you. God is in you. Meditate on this scripture passage, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The way to the Father is Jesus. The way to the Father is Holy Communion. The Father loves us in the Eucharist.