Day 5 within the Octave of Corpus Christi

In the celebration of the Eucharist, Christians gather in one place, with Christ himself as the principal agent who presides invisibly. The bishop or priest presides in the person of Christ the head, while all take active parts in the celebration: readers proclaim, gifts are brought forward, Communion is given, and the people’s “Amen” expresses their participation. In the Liturgy of the Word, the Church hears the Old Testament, the apostles’ letters, and the Gospels, then is exhorted to receive God’s Word and put it into practice, praying also for all people. At the Offertory, bread and wine are brought to the altar, and Christians also bring gifts to share with those in need. In the Eucharistic Prayer, the Church asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit so that bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood. As the faithful receive the bread of heaven and cup of salvation, they share in the Eucharist celebrated in communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth, the living and the dead.

The Eucharist is a profound celebration that connects Christians across time, rooted in Jesus’ command: “Do this in remembrance of me.” It is the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, in which the Church offers the Father the gifts he has given—bread and wine—which, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ, become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is truly and mysteriously present. As families, we can reflect with grateful hearts on the Eucharist as thanksgiving and praise to the Father for all he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. United to Christ, the faithful join his praise and intercession as the Church offers thanksgiving to God for all that is good, beautiful, and just in creation and humanity.

Baptism is a profound sacrament that symbolizes both death and purification, as well as regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit. Through Baptism, original sin, personal sins, and all punishment for sin are forgiven, so that nothing remains to impede entry into the Kingdom of God. The baptized become new creatures: adopted children of God, members of Christ, coheirs with him, and temples of the Holy Spirit. Yet suffering, illness, death, human weakness, and the inclination to sin remain, calling us to resist sin courageously through the grace of Jesus Christ. For families reflecting on Baptism, this is a hopeful reminder that Christian life is rooted in the grace received there: faith, hope, love, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and growth in goodness through the moral virtues.