The Necessity of Faith in Eucharist – Apr 15 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Apr 15, 2024, where he explains the necessity of faith and the divine nature of Jesus' and St. Stephen's missions, both rejected despite their miraculous signs and faithful testimonies.

Father highlights the parallel between Jesus and St. Stephen as figures who both performed miracles and were rejected by their people, despite their divine missions. In particular, he focuses on the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, drawing connections to Moses providing bread in the desert, as well as foretelling the coming of a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15 - The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/18?15). Jesus, identified as this prophet, performed this miracle not only as a sign of his messiahship but also to prefigure the Eucharist, symbolizing his body given for the world. His withdrawal to pray alone echoes Moses’ solitude with God, emphasizing his spiritual mission over material expectations (Exodus 24:15-18 - Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/24?15).

He asserts the necessity of faith to truly receive the Eucharist, deemed essential for salvation, a message Jesus began to explicitly convey in the synagogue, correlating his teachings to the divine endorsement received at his baptism (Matthew 3:17 - And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved" - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/3?17). The homily also recounts the tragic yet faithful testimony of St. Stephen, who, like Jesus, faced false accusations and death for his unwavering faith and powerful witness (Acts 6:8-15 - Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/6?8).

Further Reading:

CCC 1324 - The Eucharist is "source and summit of the Christian life." - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1324.htm
CCC 1384 - The Lord invites us to his table, requiring preparation - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1384.htm
CCC 1439 - The process of conversion and repentance was described in Christ's parable of the prodigal son, the heart of the gospel - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1439.htm

Ave Maria!

Mass: Monday 3rd Week of Easter - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041524.cfm
1st: act 6:8-15
Resp: psa 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30
Gsp: joh 6:22-29

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1789

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