Christ the Cornerstone

We are invited to do amazing things in Jesus’ name

Just five days ago, we joyfully concluded the 10th National Eucharistic Congress held in the United States—this year in Indianapolis, the Crossroads of America. What a marvelous experience it was!

Thousands of pilgrims from all over our country and beyond shared their love and devotion for Christ’s incomparable gift of himself to his disciples—and to the whole world—in the ordinary bread and wine miraculously transformed into the Lord’s body and blood.

Thank God for the Eucharistic Congress and for all who prepared for it and took part in it. The Church in central and southern Indiana was truly blessed to serve as the host for this sacred event, and we acknowledge our responsibility to “carry it forward” as we continue to celebrate the holy Eucharist as the source and summit of everything we do.

The Gospel reading for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Jn 6:1-15) recalls the miracle that Jesus worked when he fed an estimated 5,000 hungry people. According to St. John:

The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” (Jn 6:4-14)

The “sign” that Jesus worked more than 2,000 years ago continues today. Every time we receive the eucharistic bread and wine, our hungry hearts are filled with God’s gift of life. Jesus takes the little that we have to offer (symbolized by the five barley loaves and the two fish) and transforms us into missionary disciples.

Empowered by the grace of this sacrament, we are sent out into the world to accomplish unimaginable things. We are called to be women and men of peace in a world where violence and aggression are everywhere. We are invited to bring hope and encouragement to people who are in doubt and despair. And we are challenged to provide food for our sisters and brothers who are hungry, shelter for the homeless and healing to all who suffer from any illness of the mind, body or soul.

By the power of God’s grace, we can do amazing things. Problems that the world tells us are insurmountable can be resolved through simple acts of goodness and kindness. The darkness of sin and evil can be dispelled if only we can shine the light of Christ that is illumined in our minds and hearts by our reception of holy Communion. And our famished souls’ longing for true joy can be satisfied by our devout adoration of the incarnate word of God present to us in the Blessed Sacrament.

As missionary disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can do amazing things, but only if we practice the same kind of humility that was his.

At the conclusion of the miracle of the loaves and fish, Jesus did not seek the adulation or praise that were his due. In fact, as St. John tells us, “Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone” (Jn 6:15).

Those of us who were privileged to participate in the National Eucharistic Congress last week know that we have been invited, and challenged, to do amazing things in Jesus’ name.

May the grace that we receive through our frequent reception of Christ’s body and blood, embolden us—in all humility—to work miracles of faith, hope and love in our personal lives, our families and communities, and in the world at large. †