17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

With this Sunday, we begin five weeks of reading through the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel of John. This is commonly called the “Bread of Life Discourse.” This is the most clear teaching of Jesus Christ on his desire to leave with us the Sacrament of his Body and blood – the Eucharist.

This, of course, is the central mystery of our Catholic faith. We believe firmly, and we are convinced – like St. Peter – that what Jesus says in the verses of this chapter is true. Jesus, at the Last Supper initiated the memorial of his passion, death, and resurrection by fulfilling the Passover of the Old Testament by his own passing through death into new life. And he has left us the ability to have access to that very saving mystery through the Mass.

At Mass, all is ordered around this fact: the Word [of God] became flesh and dwelt among us,” as we read in the prologue of the Gospel with John (1:14). The Incarnate Word, Jesus, taught and showed us many things, but he crowned his life by freely laying it down, and after three days, taking it up again. The Mass gives us access to those realities, and they come to us through Jesus making himself present Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity through the consecration of the bread and the wine.

We will continue to unpack this over the next few weeks. Again, this comes on the heels of the National Eucharistic Congress that just recently took place in Indianapolis. We are calling on revival in the Church through greater awareness and appreciation of, and devotion to the Lord Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

More to come. Peace.

-Fr. Kennell