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May 21, 2023Bethlehem, House of Bread, the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, the Home of the Living Bread . . .
Bethlehem is the site of the Birth of Jesus Christ. It is where in Christian tradition and where in our Catholic teachings, the Old Testament prophecy of Israel's future ruler, (the Messiah) would come (Micah 5:2). In Hebrew, Bethlehem means House of Bread. As a grown man, when Jesus brought His mission to the earth, He proclaimed, “I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35;48). In the Eucharist, the Living Bread, the same Jesus who was carried in the Womb of the Virgin Mary before she delivered Him in Bethlehem, is the same Jesus that we receive in Holy Communion.
In June, we will remember St. Irenaeus who lived during the 2nd century (born in 125 AD). He was a leading voice for faith understanding in early Christianity and who had ties to the original teachings of St. John. According to Irenaeus, the high point in salvation history is the advent of Jesus. For Irenaeus, the birth of Christ was intended by God for salvation history even before humanity was created. Our Creator, gave His Son for all of us. In Jesus’ birth and in eventually giving of His life, He wanted us to be a part of Him forever. On the Night before He died, Jesus instituted a marvelous way to remain with us, to become a part of us. St. Irenaeus, believing deeply in the transforming power of Jesus as the Living Bread, proclaimed to the early Church that “the Eucharist is medication for the soul.” We join St. Irenaeus in proclaiming this same belief at each Mass. Following the consecration of simple bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus, we all declare, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Through our deepening relationship with our personal God, we encounter the Living Bread, the Lord Himself. As God’s creation, we become recreated through the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
As the Solemnities of Pentecost (May 28th) and of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi, June 11th) approach, the Holy Spirit brings us grace as God’s Divine life becomes present in us and is at work transforming us from within. The transformation that occurs on the altar during the consecration at the hands of the priest, is received as the Bread of Life, which is transformed in our bodies becoming part of us. As Catholics, we believe that we receive the Divine through consuming God’s holy reality. The final transformation has not yet taken place, however. The final transformation occurs as we go forth leaving the Basilica, which is now the Home of the Living Bread, and we transform the lives of others as we become what we receive and bring Christ to those in need in our communities. We become the living, Risen Christ to those who are poor, disabled, very young, the elderly, to those who are most vulnerable. We help enable all, like ourselves, to be recreated to become whole in Christ and in Communion with the Lord.
Fr. John
Would you like to become a minister who physically brings the Real Presence of Lord, the Bread of Life, to fellow members in our parish family? More info on next article.
