Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

O SACRAMENT MOST HOLY.
 Be every moment thine.
 
There are seven sacraments, but Christ is the sacrament. The sacrament is someone, not something; hence we say thine. We speak to someone, not something to celebrate; receiving a sacrament is receiving it, his life. This is not magic, not a spell we put on someone, and it is a meeting with Christ. Think of that; each sacrament is a meeting with Christ. Just as Christ met people while he walked upon the earth, now he meets us thru the spirit, hidden under signs, words, and gestures.

What will happen, what does happen when we meet Christ? Probably the same thing that happened when he met people all those years ago. Some greeted him with enthusiasm but with no depth. Think of his entry into Jerusalem. Others just wanted a miracle, a fix, to return to their normal lives.

For others, though, the meeting with Christ was life-changing, the beginning of a life-giving relationship. Their lives would never really be the same. It transformed how they saw God, themselves, and others. Indeed the last part is probably the most startling. Zaccheus promises to give back what he stole and give half his possessions to the poor. The woman at the well leaves her shame behind and proclaims the messiah. Matthew, the tax collector, and cheat leaves his old life behind.

How will the sacraments transform us? Will we allow him to? Will our response be short-lived or sincere? This is not a one-shot deal. Christ keeps working on us, our deafness, self-preoccupation, fatigue, and weariness. He calls us not once but continually.

Our response needs to be more than religious feelings or sentiment, more than pious thoughts and emotions. It’s not about a spiritual high or an experience. These can take place, but they’re not at the core. We are called to live Christ’s life, to love as he did. It’s a big ask, but I see it each day.

I see married couples working jobs they don’t love to provide for their families, sometimes many jobs. Jobs and roles they never desired that aren’t fulfilling. I see good people who already have their hands full reaching out in compassion to others in need, to the stranger, seeking no gratitude or recognition, no fanfare or reward.

I see people sharing His life. They are the living sacrament we call the Church. Sinners though we are, Christ lives and works in us. We can bring his life to the world as others bring Christ to us.

With Love and Blessings,

Fr Damian

Jesus prayed that His Church would be one.  In this video, Bishop  Barron discusses the growth of the global Church and the many persecutions it continues to suffer.