At the heart of the Catholic Church’s daily life – especially on Sundays – lies the profound mystery of the Eucharist. It forms the very pattern by which we live, becoming part of the texture and fabric of the faithful’s lives. This is both a supreme blessing and a significant risk. That something so truly wonderful can become routine is a powerful gift of God’s Love. Christ, truly present, leads us to participate in the very act of our own redemption, representing his death and resurrection in ritual form and nourishing us with the bread of life – his own body broken for us. What an immense aid to holiness and conversion this truly is!
The risk, however, is that this precious gift might become merely routine, perhaps even ‘mundane’ in our minds. Soon after, it can lose its relevance, and we may fall away.
This weekend, we celebrate the First Holy Communions of many children in our community. Their beautiful eagerness and freshness invite each of us to ponder once more how wonderful and precious this gift is, and just how transformational it can be for those who receive with love and reverence, embodying its meaning in their families and the wider world.
Let me congratulate the children and their families, and extend my thanks to all our parish staff and volunteers who have facilitated and enriched their journey. May Our Lady Help of Christians, patroness of Australia, intercede for us all and guide us to a deeper faith in Christ her Son.
Blessings Fr Michael