Dear friends in Christ

The miracle of the multiplication of food beside the lakeside (the Gospel of this Sunday) demonstrates the power and love of Jesus. That power and love are what allows us to recognise the Body of Christ under the Sacramental signs. Down the centuries it is the Eucharist that has fed the multitude of God’s People. As St Thomas Aquinas puts it: Whether one receives or a thousand do, each receives the same as the other. He cannot be exhausted. This is how the miracle acquires its significance, without losing any of its reality. It is wondrous in Itself, but it ends up being even more wonderful than expected. The crowds that were attracted to Jesus are evidence of the strength of His Person. They are content to travel without provisions in order to simply encounter Him. This is a good reminder to us all that whenever we face the problems of life, a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament will always gives us comfort.

Part of our own preparation for Mass and Holy Communion is the Sacrament of Penance, Confession. By this Sacrament too, we encounter Jesus and His mercy, and by the grace given to us we are purified of our sins and our soul is made more ready to receive the Divine Guest who comes to us in the Eucharist. In this way, the Church teaches us that the one Sacrament leads us to the other and in fact makes our reception of Holy Communion more profound through the purity of heart that accompanies our receiving Him.

God bless you!
Fr Kevin Hale