A common language of love

In the Eucharist, which Jesus himself gave to us, we are nourished, strengthened and equipped to continue our earthly journey toward the goal of eternal life with God. In this life we are given a foretaste of heaven.

In his recent ground-breaking encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV opens by referring to the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9), presenting humanity as facing a pivotal choice:

to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together.

Apostles of the Blessed Sacrament #1

One thousand years ago, a certain Saint Norbert (1080-1134) helped pioneer devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.  He is known as the Apostle of the Blessed Sacrament.  His deep personal devotion to the Eucharist including a regular offering of Mass and devotion of significant time to prayer at the altar enabled him to win hearts and minds.  His witness was highly significant at a time of disunity and disruption in the church. As an article published by the online resource aleteia.org said about him:

St. Norbert is traditionally depicted holding a monstrance, highlighting the deep devotion he had to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and his missionary zeal in proclaiming belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Many other saints in the centuries that followed took his example.  Today, more than ever, we need apostles of the Eucharist who will witness to God’s love in the heart of the city.

Courage

12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

21 June 2026

Lectio Divina:

Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69

Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33

Meditatio:

‘..Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matthew 10:28)

Commentary:

This Sunday’s readings provide a rich set of resources.  I find them particularly apt for several reasons related to timing as well as the recent political context.  Let me ‘proclaim from the house-tops’ what I have heard in whispers. Let me ‘proclaim from the housetops’ what I have heard in whispers: today is The Day for Life. And, it is Father’s Day at least in this part of the world. One sentence in the statement on the Day for Life caught my attention in particular:

This understanding, however, is not complete without the recognition that, from the beginning, every human being is not just a body but also an immortal soul, with a unique and eternal connection with God, our Creator.

An antidote to despair

 

A very strange feature of modern day Ireland is the extent of social problems that are linked to loneliness, isolation, depression and even despair.  What is particularly strange is that, as living standards, have increased over the decades, it seems that human happiness has not – at least not for everyone.  For sure, material goods do not guarantee security and happiness. We need more.

In the midst of an epidemic of loneliness and loss of hope we need a strong antidote. And, let it be acknowledged that even amongst the Christian faithful hope seems to be always under threat as the latest assault on human life, human dignity and human rights press in.  

We need to be strong. This is where, especially, the Eucharist is made for us at this time.

Why this Blog? - revisited

On 1 January I began this daily blog series – Bread for the Journey – with the intention of writing something relevant to the Eucharist and publishing it every day for the remainder of 2026.  So far, I have managed – with a little effort – to publish a reflection each day.  I am nearly half ways there in terms of my new year’s resolution.  It took, on average, a bit more time and preparation than I had thought; it also took me down avenues that I had not quite anticipated or planned.  It has been a personally rewarding experience as I explore and revisit my own personal journey with the Eucharist.

Questions of inter-communion

The question of who can receive Holy Communion in the Roman Catholic Church has raised much debate and, at times, conflict. The great sacrament of communion, which is the Eucharist, has, in the context of Christian division, been the occasion of exclusion and much suffering, especially, but not exclusively, among family members from different Christian traditions.

The Roman Catholic Church understands itself as the Church in which the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church professed in the Nicene Creed subsists. It does not simply state that it is that Church in an exclusive sense, but rather that the Church of Christ fully ‘subsists in’ the Roman Catholic Church, whose visible head is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 8).

Good news - bad news

Recently, an extract from the Gospel of Saint Luke was read at daily Mass. It was taken from Chapter 10, in which Jesus appointed ‘seventy others’ and ‘sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he himself intended to visit’.

Today, we are likewise called and sent as disciples of the Good News. Too often, we allow our minds and hearts to be coarsened by a constant stream of negativity and bad news, whether on mainstream media or across various social media platforms.