As the deacon was distributing the precious blood, the chalice slipped and began a freefall toward the floor. Miraculously, the deacon was able to catch the chalice but not without much of the precious blood splashing across the floor.

Jesus, the perfect victim, not only took on our sin, but absorbed our sin into himself. Imagine the weight, the burden. I imagine Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, falling to the ground under the weight of this sin, our sin, our neighbor’s sin, the sin of our country, of our world, of the generations, of the centuries. Who could stand under that strain. How do we accept and embrace our suffering?

Pentecost is a celebration of the fire of the Holy Spirit! Though fire is often a destructive force, it is also a purifying force for some materials. Our souls are such a material. Rather than destroy, the fire of the Holy Spirit enhances, purifies, restores our soul to its original state! How blessed are we to have this gift available to us for the asking. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit would prepare and empower us to bring the light and love of God into the world.

The time after Holy Communion is the most intimate and valuable time we have with Jesus; it is like no other time even while Jesus is everywhere and in all things! It is during this time that if we are disposed to the full measure of grace, we are truly united with Jesus as is asked in a spiritual communion.

The absence of a crucifix in our church brought me to Jesus, hidden in the bread and wine, waiting in the tabernacle for me to seek him out, to gaze on him, and to allow him to enrich my soul with deeper revelation that carried me along my journey. Having been given the grace to contemplate more fully the mystery of Jesus Incarnate transformed into glory, uniting us in his glorified body has deepened my love for Jesus, for the Eucharist, and for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! May we all arrive home to our Father’s house safely with great joy at knowing the unfathomable depths of his love and mercy!