Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Body of Christ

Corpus Christi Sunday

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Here’s a little history about this day.  It was originally celebrated on the Thursday 10 days after Pentecost and referred to by a Latin name “Corpus Christi”.  In the 13th century, a Belgian nun named Juliana had a recurring dream of a brilliant full moon coming down to earth.  The moon however had a black spot on it. Christ interpreted the dream for her. The moon represented the calendar year of the church with all of its wonderful festivals, but the black spot showed that there was something missing. That something missing was an occasion to remember the institution by Christ at the Lord’s Supper, the institution of the Eucharist. As fortune would have it, she had a friend in the Bishop of Liege.  He believed her vision and he subsequently became Pope Urban IV. As a result, the feast of Corpus Christi was first celebrated in 1264 with hymns and prayers written by Thomas Aquinas.  Such an awesome gift deserves its own feast!

In 2018, Bishop Parkes chose this feast to disseminate Courageously Living the Gospel,  the long-awaited Vision for the Diocese of St. Petersburg.   Bishop Parkes has said: “I will always speak of the vision or our vision, not my vision.  I may be the messenger, but the vision represents what the people of our diocese believe is best for the church.”

Bishop Parkes continued: “This mutually-shared vision is an opportunity to renew our faith as we go forth to boldly proclaim the good News of Jesus Christ.”  He pointed out that the Diocese of St. Petersburg includes all the people who reside in the five counties that geographically make up the diocese, not just those who identify themselves as Catholic.  The entire  Tampa Bay area this is our “mission territory.”

The nine goals in the vision are bold initiatives that challenge our parish communities to think outside the box for opportunities of evangelization. We are to look not only inward but outward.  We are also called to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to the youth and keep them connected to their church.   Bishop Parkes urges all of us to “think big when dreaming about what the future could look like.”   “We want a vision”, he says “that is bold and goals that are high impact and even a stretch for us to achieve.”

I believe our challenge (here at Holy Name) is to remember that we are part of the diocese.   Sometimes I think that because we are an autonomous Benedictine community we forget that we are at the same time an integral entity of the diocese …  neither an island in its midst nor on its fringes.

Some of us of a certain generation can remember huge Corpus Christi processions which brought the body of Christ into the streets around our parishes. The body of Christ is still in our streets because we are there.  Today, everyday Jesus asks each of us “have you reserved a guest room in your heart for Me where I may rest, where I may eat a meal with you?   Our Corporate Commitment continues to challenge us to “respond with the compassion of Christ to the hungers of the people of God.”

We challenge ourselves to support initiatives in the diocesan vision.  Are we providing an inviting environment to the greater community? Do we encourage an increased understanding of what it means to be “Catholic”?  Of course, it goes without saying, that we pray for God’s blessing on our Bishop Gregory Parkes and the diocesan efforts to bring to reality the diocesan vision: Courageously Living the Gospel.

 

~Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

First Reading: Exodus 24:3-8                    Second Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15
Gospel Reading: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26
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Transfiguration Sunday

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In the chapter before this Gospel passage Jesus asked His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”  They came up with a variety of answers.  Then Jesus asked “But what about you?  Who do you say that I am?”  You’ll remember Simon Peter’s answer, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Well, Peter was correct.  But, a couple verses later we see that Peter still did not understand the full meaning of the declaration he had made.  When Jesus predicts His death, Peter takes him aside and rebukes him. “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!”  To which Jesus replied: “Get behind me Satan!  You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

In today’s Gospel of the Transfiguration story of the uncovering of Jesus’ face and clothing reveal who Jesus really is!  Peter, James and John witnessed, if only for a moment, the glory of God revealed in the Son.  This was the true Jesus.  Time and stick-to-a-tive-ness in the relationship strengthened the bonds of friendship and discipleship.

The same goes for us.  Every time we come together for worship or any communal gathering or interaction with another is an occasion for a mountaintop experience.  Maybe it happens for you every day at the Consecration of the Mass or when you look across the chapel or the dining table.  Pope Francis challenges us in his July “Pope Video” saying: “If you are the same at the end of Mass as you were at the beginning, something is wrong.”  The transfiguration, in the exact way it happened in today’s Gospel, happened only once.  But the disciples had many more mountaintop experiences when the REAL Jesus revealed His fullness little by little to those who took the time and interest to stay with him and to follow his lead.  That’s how we build relationships, by spending time with each other; by getting to know and understanding the other, experiencing life with the other.  It’s how we live out our vow of stability.

We manage to do this when we engage in the exchange at the reception of the Eucharist.  Eye to eye we exchange a proclamation, not simply an announcement, of what we hold in our hands and on our lips AND who is standing right before us.  “Body of Christ.  Blood of Christ!”  The minister greets us (hear that, greets US.)  And our “AMEN”, spoken confidently, affirms our belief that we are indeed “the Body of Christ.”  And in turn, it reminds us that the person holding the Precious Cup out to us is the “Body of Christ” standing right here before us in flesh and blood.  But it can become routine, just words we’ve memorized.  Our AMEN says we believe Jesus is here but does it move us beyond the cup to lock eyes with the person who stands in front of us?

If only, every time we open our mouth we were conscious that it is Christ using us to extend His love.  If our ears heard not simply the words spoken by the other but could sense God saying, “This is my beloved child in whom I am well pleased; hear her.”  How often words might die on our lips before they stir the air with sentiments that are not Christ-like.  It would be the death, wouldn’t it, of criticism or harshness of tone; of hurtful and negative comments about what’s over and done, out of our control.

Benedict realizes that “peace on earth” is a utopian dream even in a community of like-minded, good-hearted people.  He bades the superior to inspect beds for contraband like food and knives.  He instructs community officials what to do with recalcitrant members.  He recommends the recitation of the Our Father three times daily in petition for forgiveness for human frailty.

Peace most assuredly is our vision and mission.  Thus, we aim to extend the peace that we wish for each other at Mass, to flow throughout the day and beyond our doors.  We echo the words of Peter, James and John: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.”  But Jesus reminds us not to get too comfortable: “Rise,” he says, “Tell the vision to no one.”  So, how do we spread the Good News?  Live it! It’s that simple!

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

August 6 was our monthly day of Recollection with Holy Hour and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrement.  We pray also for our families and relatives, Oblates, guests, and benefactors.   May peace reign in our world!

 

 

First Reading:   Daniel 7:9-10,13-15         Second Reading:  Peter 1:16-19
Gospel:   Matthew 17:1-9
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Body of Christ; Blood of Christ

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euch1With the singing of Vespers this evening we begin our celebration of the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ – once called Corpus Christi (but that only refers to the Body of Christ).

This one of my favorite feasts … it celebrates the ultimate in self-giving… not only to lay down one’s life for another but, further, to freely give its essence to another.

This particular version of the story of the feeding of the 5,000 is the only one of Jesus’ miracles to appear in all four Gospels. Luke places it between Herod’s question, “Who is this about whom I hear such things?” and Peter’s response to Jesus’ question about who he thought Jesus was.  In Luke’s version of the feeding of the crowd it is not the result of Jesus’ compassion for the crowd but is an incentive to the disciples to do something about the problem they perceive.  When they want Jesus to send the crowd away to so they (the crowd and themselves) can get something to eat, Jesus tells them to give the people some food on their own.

When we come to the Eucharistic table, hungry for the Word of God and the Body of Christ, what does the Jesus, in the person of the priest say?  “Take, you all, and eat of this.  Take, you all, and drink.”  How contradictory, then it is, a few minutes later to hear the same person say to the worshiping community:  “If you are not Catholic, fold your arms across your heart for a blessing.”

I recall in 1959-60 when our wood-frame convent was condemned by the fire department.  The local community responded with open hearts to us when they were asked: “May we live with you until we can build a new house?”  We certainly felt “welcomed as Christ” – the people viewed it a privilege to house the sisters and some of our boarding school students. They did not ask “are you Catholic” nor did we pick and choose a dwelling place based on a host’s church membership.

Today, everyday Jesus asks each of us … have you reserved a guest room in your heart for Me where I may rest, where I may eat a meal with you?   We think about Benedict’s words “guests are always present, wash their feet, acknowledge them with a greeting or a nod, set a special place at the table for them, reverence Christ in the person of the guest.  Our corporate commitment statement continues to challenge us to “respond with the compassion of Christ” to the variety of hungers of the human heart.

I agree with the author who says: “… Admittedly, hospitality won’t cure all of our ills.  It won’t erase underlying problems that promote a climate of division or create a magical panacea for human suffering.  But hospitality can help.  It can assist and guide us in the way we deal with, and the ultimately solve our problems.  It can allow us to function with grace and dignity.  Hospitality is a seed planted deep within us that awaits our attention and care.  Nurtured by willingness, watered by prayer, hospitality reflects the face of a loving, accepting, compassionate God.  Wherever we go, whatever we do, we can pray that a spirit of hospitality will permeate our thoughts and animate our actions.  (Everyday Hospitality by Thea Jarvis)

Pondering the significance of this feast, it strikes me that with Christmas we are touched with joy and awe at the birth of Christ.  At Easter we explode with ALLELUIA at the resurrection of our Savior.  The Ascension leaves us quietly looking upward, outward waiting in expectation for “what’s next?”  Then comes the Solemnity of the Trinity – the mystery that baffles us … that God is so great, so awesome that only in three persons can all the divine manifestations be expressed.  And, today; the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ – this touches, awakens in us feelings we can hardly express – that our God, our Jesus, our Savior would choose to gift us in such a personal, so intimate a way … the Creator chooses to be assimilated within the body of the creature.  His body and blood become, over and over, absorbed into my body – His blood courses in my veins.  Did you ever wonder how an aspirin knows where you ache is?  Or an antibiotic knows what to attack?  Is it heresy to say: Jesus attaches himself to every fiber of my being?  When the minister looks us in the eye and greets us: “Body of Christ; Blood of Christ”, we are stunned speechless except to respond as we’ve been taught: “AMEN!”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
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