10 Oct 2015
In some way, we’re all related to Jesus by blood; I mean, his
Blood flows in our veins and in our spirit.
We become “blood relatives” to Jesus through the Eucharist. And being a blood relative is similar, I
suppose, to being like that mother [in the gospel] whose womb is blessed for
having carried Jesus. There’s a blood
relationship between Jesus and his mother.
But Jesus says that’s not enough. It isn’t enough to eat his Body and drink his
Blood; it isn’t enough to simply be a “blood relative” of his by coming to
Mass. Instead, he says, it is an even
more blessed thing to be transformed by
the Mass, in spirit. “Blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”
Blessed are those who not only engage the Eucharist in a physical way, but who participate in
Mass and are moved in a spiritual way. We hear the Word of God in Scripture, and we
eat the Incarnate Word of God from the Altar.
We become “blood relatives” of Jesus.
And, in doing so, we become like that mother who carries Jesus in her
womb. What’s left, but to give birth to Jesus in the world by the
way we live our life.
Only by taking our blood relationship with Christ to the next
level of spiritual companionship with
him do we arrive at a place where we can see ourselves as truly “blessed.” And we’re blessed in that we won’t live in
fear of God; instead, we’ll spend our life adoring God and wanting to know him
better. We’re blessed in that we’ll come
to see God as he is.
Going through the motions of our faith doesn’t give us that
peace of mind and joy of heart. It isn’t
enough to be in a “blood relationship” with the Lord. Instead, he says, it is an even more blessed thing
to be transformed by the Mass, in
spirit. “Blessed are those who hear the
word of God and observe it.”
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