At the Last Supper, Eternal Father, Jesus spoke much about You to His apostles, He also prayed to You for them and for all who would believe in You through their word. In these hushed moments charged with the drama of leave-taking and approaching capture, condemnation, crucifixion and death, His thoughts turned to You. His Heart yearned to make us one with You even as You and He were one.
And He found the perfect way to accomplish this by giving us the living memorial of His sacrifice on the cross. He turned the painful leave-taking from the apostles into a perennial, living homecoming for them and all who would follow them in faith. He did not leave us orphans, but gave us Himself in sacrifice, in communion, in abiding presence. In doing all this, he reminded us that by being one with Him, we would also be one with You. "Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father." His words bring home to us that by being one with Jesus in Holy Communion, we are drawn into the very mystery of divinity and of creation, the mystery of the Eternal Father Who sent His Son, and Who though Him created all things. We recognize that in Holy Comunion we are swept into a new crative moment for the powers of our soul.
Over and over during the short years of His live on earth Jesus spoke of doing the will of His Father. His first word in the Temple asked: "Did you not know I had to be in my Father's house?" His last words from the cross asked forgiveness from the Father for those who put Him to death. In a moment of complete desolation on the cross, He cried out to the Father. With head bowed, His lips moved in final obedience and resignation: "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit."
Teach us, Father, to follow along the way of Jesus, in His way of begging You to forgive, of crying to You from the depths of our need, of bowing to Your will in every part of Your plan for us in this world, in the final breath expressing that our work is complete. Eternal Father, may the fruit of this union with Your Son in Holy Communion help us ever in times of greatest need to echo His words in the Garden: Father, if it is Your will, take this cup from me; yet not my will but Yours be done.
More prayers by Fr. Christopher Rengers can be found his pamphlet: Thanksgiving After Communion, printed by New Hope Publications. The entire pamphlet can be ordered at www.newhope-ky.org. His writing is reproduced here in the spirit of Fr. Christopher, who spread the Gospel with every move of his body.
1 Response to Corpus Christi
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