THE EUCHARIST IS COMMUNION WITH CHRIST AND THE CHURCH (Part -4)
This intimate union with our God also reaches beyond the bounds of time and space, for the holy Mass joins us with all our brothers and sisters worldwide. That’s one reason our Pope and local Bishop and local priest are always mentioned by name. So, too, are our greatest Saints: our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, and in a general way, all the Apostles and Saints. How sad that so many face life without the help from heaven available to us through the Communion of Saints. While the above-mentioned realities are reason enough for the Church to mandate that we “Keep holy the Lord’s Day” – which, from apostolic times, was moved to the day of the Lord’s Resurrection: Sunday there’s still more! It is one of the primary ways we ‘identify’ ourselves as Christians, so it also becomes our ‘identity.’ We become what, or rather, who we receive! When we are absent, we deprive the Church, our family, of her unity. It’s like missing a family wedding reception or funeral repast, birthday or graduation party. It’s just not the same when anyone misses the holy Mass! God Bless!
Father Maria Joseph Kodiganti