St. Maria Goretti

The older I get, the more I realize that some different foods, have some rather serious effects on me. I have eaten many meals in my lifetime, and I’ve learned a few things along the way. I’ve known now for several years that when I eat seafood and some fish from the ocean, that I have a very serious allergic reaction, that will eventually lead to my throat swelling shut, if I don’t take an antihistamine. That’s a good thing to know when it comes to food. I’ve also learned that while I like the taste of the Irish beer, Guinness, that the beer doesn’t like me, and exactly half an hour after I drink Guinness, even a sip, I will get sick to my stomach. It’s true. And I always think that I’ll outgrow it, but I never do. I’ve learned that I can’t drink the thick Italian coffee, espresso. I don’t drink coffee and drinking espresso for me is like taking speed. I’ve learned that eating an ice cream cone, doesn’t matter which flavor, make me feel like I’m twelve years old again. I believe that ice cream, especially gelato, is the fountain of youth. And I’ve learned that I should never, ever, eat Chicken McNuggets and drink beer at the same time. I won’t tell you what happens, but trust me, you don’t want to be around me when I do. So many times there are ramifications to what we put into our bodies. Our foods affect us. Never is this more true, than when we are talking about our spiritual food, the Holy Eucharist, which is a good thing for us to talk about today, on this Feast of Corpus Christi.

My brothers and sisters, this Eucharist is extremely powerful stuff. We must make very sure that we are prepared, that we are ready, for the ramifications of our partaking of this Heavenly food. Sometimes, I fear, that we just jump in line with everybody else, and come on down here and receive Holy Communion without a lot of thought. That can be a very dangerous thing to do. Remember what St. Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians:

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the Body and Blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the Body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.” 1 Cor. 11

My brothers and sisters, this is serious stuff. We’re dealing with the Body and the Blood of the Lord Jesus here. We can’t just go through the motions. This is not a snack. This is the food from Heaven for our souls. Isn’t it time that we started treating the Eucharist and the Mass that way? If we dare to take the Body and Blood of Jesus into our souls, then we had better be prepared for some powerful things to happen. The Eucharist changes us, if we let it. It leads us closer to Jesus and empowers us to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist helps us to become exactly what we eat. Remember a few years ago, when everybody first started saying that? You are what you eat. You are what you eat. You are what you eat. They had that saying in every doctor’s office in the country. And that’s exactly when I quit eating Twinkies. We, as Church, become the Body of Christ, when we feed on the Body of Christ. If you don’t want to be Church, if you don’t want to follow Jesus, if you don’t want to obey the commandments, THEN DON’T EAT HIS BODY AND BLOOD. Let me take that a step farther, IF you don’t want to stay at Mass until Mass is really over, DON’T EAT HIS BODY AND BLOOD. This feast of Corpus Christi reminds all of us to quit playing games when it comes to our Faith, and to take seriously what we are doing and what we are receiving. Are we taking it seriously?

This is not ordinary food. Do not eat this Food unless you are seriously ready to have your life turned upside down. Certain foods, like McNuggets and beer, can do serious things inside our bodies. The Body and Blood of Jesus can do serious things inside your soul. But you gotta let it.

May God bless us on this Feast Day, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… AMEN !!!

St. Maria Goretti… Pray for us !!!