Corpus Christi Blog

Last month I wrote that John Asaro, a member of the Parish Staff, was retiring to spend more time with his family, especially his grandkids. John began working for Corpus Christi as an evening front office receptionist ten years ago and eventually worked the day shift as well. When John announced his retirement, we announced that we were hiring someone to work Monday-Thursday evenings (the office is now closed Friday evenings) and Sundays. I am happy to announce that we have hired someone; you will be introduced to her shortly.

Last week’s Gospel presented the all-important question that every must person must answer: “Who do you say Jesus is?”.  And remember also Jesus’ response to Peter’s declaration of faith- If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow me”.

My brothers and sisters, at the heart of the gospel, at the heart of our faith, is the claim that Jesus is the Son of God.  And if Jesus is God become man, then Jesus is everything, the be all and end all.  Jesus is the one to whom a totalizing decision has to be made.  After all, Jesus himself polarizingly declares- “you are either with me or against me”.  We cannot be indifferent to Jesus, either you give your whole life to Him or you should reject him.  There is no middle ground, there is no halfway when it comes to following Jesus.

Today’s Gospel is Luke’s version of the famous conversation Jesus has with his Disciples about his identity, and the 1st prediction of His Passion.

While Jesus was praying, though with his disciples, Jesus asked, Who do the crowds say that I am?  They answered, some say John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets.

Let’s look more in depth at that answer by recalling who a prophet was.

On Saturday, June 11, four young men became priests for the Diocese of Phoenix. After at least eight years of studying and formation and after being ordained temporary Deacons this past year, Shea Bowora, Dan Connealy, Ryan Lee, and David Loeffler, were ordained to the Ministerial Priesthood for the Diocese of Phoenix by Bishop Olmsted amongst about 2000 family members, friends, and fellow Catholics from around the diocese. What a blessing for our diocese!

My journey began in December 2014 when I tore my Achilles tendon in my right foot. When I began experiencing pain in my left leg, I attributed it to my favoring my left side. After an appointment with my primary care physician, a referral to an orthopedic doctor and several unsuccessful cortisone injections, it was decided that I needed an MRI. On March 15, 2015 I received a phone call from my doctor informing me that I had tumors in and around my pelvis indicating cancer. He ordered a biopsy of the pelvis and referred me to an oncologist.

On Tuesday, May 31st the Church celebrated the Visitation of Mary (and Jesus) to Elizabeth (and John). Along with members of the parish staff, pastoral council, and Morning Glory prayer group, I consecrated our parish to Jesus through Mary. We used Fr. Gaitley's 33 Days to Morning Glory, a do-it-yourself retreat in preparation for Marian Consecration. If you have never personally consecrated yourselves to Jesus through Mary, then I strongly encourage you to do so, especially in solidarity as a member of the parish. 33 Days to Morning Glory is a great means to do so. In it, Fr. Gaitley calls upon the Marian insights in the hea r ts of Saints Louis de Montfort (through whom consecration became popular), Maximillian Kolbe, Mother Theresa, and Pope John Paul II. Each one of these people had a special devotion to Mary. Is it any wonder they are all Saints?! After all, as Fr. Gaitley quotes St. Louis de Montfort, "Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary is the surest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect means to becoming a Saint."

A couple of parishioners thanked me for my Pentecost homily (the outline of which is available on the website) because it helped them understand who the Holy Spirit is and the life in the Spirit we are meant to live. I wanted to highlight a couple other resources to help foster this deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit:

• Thewildgooseisloose.com—(Wild goose is what the ancient Celts used to call the Holy Spirit) a 14-part video series by Fr. Dave Pivonka TOR, a priest I know from Franciscan University of Steubenville.
• Session 7 "The Holy Spirit and the Life of Grace" of Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained," which can be accessed through Formed.org with our Parish code: VD6QM2.

May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you into the relationship and life He wants for you!

Through Him, With Him, and In Him,
Fr. Chad King

From a treatise by Saint Gaudentius of Brescia, bishop (Tract. 2: CSEL 68, 26, 29-30)

One man has died for all, and now in every church in the mystery of bread and wine he heals those for whom he is offered in sacrifice, giving life to those who believe and holiness to those who consecrate the offering. This is the flesh of the Lamb; this is his blood. The bread that came down from heaven declared: The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. It is significant, too, that his blood should be given to us in the form of wine, for his own words in the gospel, I am the true vine, imply clearly enough that whenever wine is offered as a representation of Christ's passion, it is offered as his blood. This means that it was of Christ that the blessed patriarch Jacob prophesied when he said: He will wash his tunic in wine and his cloak in the blood of the grape. The tunic was our flesh, which Christ was to put on like a garment and which he was to wash in his own blood.

From the dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin
(Cap 167, Gratiarum actio ad Trinitatem)

I tasted and I saw.

Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you have made the blood of Christ so precious through hissharing in your divine nature. You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, themore I find, and the more I find the more I search for you. But I can never be satisfied; whatI receive will ever leave me desiring more. When you fill my soul I have an even greaterhunger, and I grow more famished for your light. I desire above all to see you, the true light,as you really are.

Trinity Sunday- Who God is.  Little Theology to appreciate what it means for us.  Unity of Trinity- 3 is 1.  Some think existence- Father, then Jesus, then Holy Spirit.  No, Eternal existence. Never a time the 3 did not exist.  Nicene Creed- Jesus is begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.  Through Him all things were made. 

John- God is Love.  What does it mean that God is love? Who He is, not what he does.  We choose to love or not, God is love.  Complete gift of self.  Father gives Himself completely.  Fathers is a giver, his nature is to give- love.  Son so thankful- given Himself to me.  Gospel says “Everything that the Father has is mine”.  Son fully receives, chooses to fully give Himself in return. 

The proceeding is a brief reminder of the context in which Pope Francis, while he was still Cardinal Bergoglio, was speaking, followed by his third statement:

In the period leading up to a conclave, the cardinals of the Church gather in a series of meetings that are known as the "general congregations." In these meetings, they are allowed to make brief statements— known as "interventions"—about the problems they feel need to be addressed in the Church and what kind of man the next pope should be.

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Today we celebrate the sending of the Holy Spirit, the 2nd person of God, upon the Apostles and Church. However, in today’s Church, few people really have a relationship with or live in the freedom of the Holy Spirit.

So what, or better said, who is the Holy Spirit?

The Father through Jesus will send the other person of Trinity. LOVE between Fr and Son. We have received the love of God.

Pope Francis quote: “We shouldn’t try to tame the Holy Spirit. Yet, that is what we do. We want the Holy Spirit to do what we want. It should be the other way around. We should do what the Holy Spirit wants of us”.

The proceeding is a brief reminder of the context in which the then-Cardinal Bergoglio was speaking, followed by his second statement:

In the period leading up to a conclave, the cardinals of the Church gather in a series of meetings that are known as the "general congregations." In these meetings, they are allowed to make brief statements—known as "interventions"—about the problems they feel need to be addressed in the Church and what kind of man the next pope should be.

READ MORE

On my way up to the mountains for a few days of vacation, I listened to a series of CD's from Catholic Answers that I had checked-out from our Parish Library. (Did you know we have a library in the office for you to check-out books and CDs for free?) In the next couple of bulletin letters, I want to share with you some of what I heard:

In the period leading up to a conclave, the cardinals of the Church gather in a series of meetings that are known as the "general congregations." In these meetings, they are allowed to make brief statements—known as "interventions"—about the problems they feel need to be addressed in the Church and what kind of man the next pope should be.

READ MORE