We are a joyful community of disciples proclaiming the Good News and inviting all people to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever easts this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”
(John 6:51)
Source of Our Joy
“Bless our God, all you peoples, loudly sing his praise; He has given life to our souls, and has not let our feet slip” -Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.What a beautiful responsorial that is paired with today's Gospel; in Jesus proclaiming He is the bread of life. What a gift that the Word became Flesh not just to enter into our humanity, but so that we may have eternal life: communion with the Father.
Jesus is the living bread so that we may have life and have it abundantly, here and eternity to come. That is something to be joyful about, to have hearts of gratitude and praise for, because yes indeed He has given life to our souls: His very life in the Eucharist. Let us reflect on Christ's gift of Himself in our lives, as we receive the Eucharist and throughout our day and let that be the source of our joy. Let us also ask Him how we can invite others into that joy.
How can we invite others into the joy of Christ?
Father, thank you for the gift of your Son so that we may have life and have it to the full. Amen.
Reflection by:
Renee Lemire is a Florida native from Merritt Island. After experiencing a deeper conversion to the Lord at Florida State University, she felt a call to serve the Lord in college campus ministry. This led her to living in different areas of the US: being a missionary in Boston, returning back to FSU to be a campus minister while receiving her Master’s Degree in Theology, and ministry in Ohio. She then felt this to return back to Florida for the opportunity to serve the Lord and His people as the Associate Director of Worship for the Diocese of St. Petersburg.