+ The Prophet Jeremiah has in his own life the
experience of being denounced and
stalked by his own friends: “all those
who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine; perhaps he will
be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him!” This is a
sure prophecy of what would happen to Jesus at a later time! In the gospel
passage today we see the Jews trying to trip Jesus up because they fail to
understand his unique and real relationship with his heavenly Father: the one
sent by him into the world to reconcile us, the one who has the right to be
called true Son of God (because that is exactly what he is). Jesus tells them
then if they do not believe what he says about himself as Son of God – they
should at least believe that he is unique and from God because of the quality of the works that he does: his spiritually
revolutionary preaching, and his miracles that have no other explanation
than originating in God himself.
But these prejudiced and stiff-necked people reject any claim that Jesus
makes on being in a special relationship with the very God of their fathers:
and they try to arrest him – but as
it was not yet his exact hour to finally be handed over, he escaped from their power and went back across the Jordan to the
place where John first baptized, and there he remained. There many came to
believe in him for they realized that everything John said about this man was
true.
We have a unique and special
invitation to listen to Jesus speak at this Mass and to witness his greatest
sign of all: the changing of bread and wine by the priest into his Real and
True Body and Blood as supernatural nourishment for our spiritual lives for
which we are responsible for growth and maturity! May we appreciate what
happens here to the maximum – for it is astounding as it is breathtaking!
What was once thought an
impossibility – to mandate that Mass should be celebrated by the priest only, without
a congregation, in our country, what is at the same time emphasized to the
maximum is the indispensable role of the Priesthood of the Church – which alone
has the authority of Jesus himself to confect not only a viable, and spiritually
nourishing Word – (the Liturgy of the Word), but also the viable and equally
spiritually and also physically nourishing Eucharistic Presence of Jesus in the
Bread and Wine – which in the virtual world in which we are now thrust – is consumed
only by the priest, FOR US, and for our salvation, our comfort, our joy, our
peace! Yes, the priest is doing exactly what he has been ordained to do: offer
the Mass (and all Sacraments) with and FOR (on behalf of the people) but
without you.
Therefore when watching LIVE
mass, Virtually Streamed, when the priest receives the Precious Body and Blood
of Jesus – all who are viewing it can make it their intention to receive it too
– through him – then the spiritual connection between us and the Blessed
Trinity can be fanned into flame in a different, but very real way!
It is my joy and my supreme
duty, as a priest, to serve you in this way – to keep you not only spiritually
alive, but physically alive by insisting on Mass Without You – maybe for a good
long while!
We
love you, O Lord, our strength, O Lord, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer.
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