“Come to the feast of heaven and earth! Come to the table of plenty! God will provide for all that we need, here at the table of plenty.” (D. Schutte)

I enjoy cooking. Whenever I have time to cook, I tend to make a larger quantity because of…leftovers. Yes! Leftovers ensure that no matter how busy we are in my house, there is food to eat in the fridge and we don’t have to wait for it to cook, and in the end, I actually have to cook less. It is a challenge to get together all the ingredients. In today’s Gospel, the Twelve are

presented with a huge problem: they are out in a deserted place with an unexpected large number of people to provide sustenance. The commentary on the reading even says “Jesus receives a paltry pair of fish and five loaves of bread.” That would be enough to raise my blood pressure! How can that be enough? Yet “Jesus appeals to heaven, blesses, breaks, and

distributes to those gathered there.” His words and actions prepare them for the Eucharistic banquet to come at the Last Supper. All are invited to this feast and there are …. Leftovers!

“Abundant food for many. The leftovers are more ample than the original offering.”

“We come to share our story. We come to break the bread, we come to know our rising from the dead.” (M. Haugen)

In the first reading, we hear of the simple elements of bread and wine which were the staples of the Mediterranean diet. They become the means by which God’s blessing descend on Abram in the reading and on us today. Melchizedek prepares us for the offering made at the Last Supper. Then we zoom to the second reading where Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is “celebrating the Eucharist recalling the Last Supper and the elements of bread and wine.” This kind of remembering is where we do more than recall events: we re-enter and participate.” We heard this in a homily at Pentecost, Fr. Jeff spoke about anamnesis: a way of remembering a past saving action of God made present for us in the here and now.

“We are one body, one body in Christ, and we do not stand alone. We are one body, one body in Christ; and he came that we might have life.”(D. Scallon)

All three readings tie in neatly with the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ as does our opportunity to reflect on our participation in the Eucharistic liturgy. With Archbishop Shelton’s letter regarding posture changes given forth in May, we are adjusting our postures at our liturgy.

Here are highlights of those changes:

• Face forward for the opening song/ processional.
• Kneel after the Lamb of God and remain kneeling until joining the Communion procession.
• After receiving Holy Communion, the faithful return to their places and kneel (or sit if unable to kneel). We are attentive to the Body of Christ (all of us) receiving the Body of Christ (present in the consecrated host) as well as we are receiving the Body of Christ praying that we become what we receive.
• After all have received: the priest puts the sacred hosts in the tabernacle and door closes. We sit. We pray. The priest walks to his chair. He sits. He prays. This is time for private prayer to give thanks to God.
• If you are taking Communion home to loved one who is ill, bring your pyx and arrive at church before Mass and see the sacristan. You pick up your pyx after Mass.

“We are the Body of Christ, broken and poured out, promise of life from death, we are the body of Christ.” ( M. Haugen )