12 June 2014
St. Cecelia's Chapel, Toddhall Retreat Center, Columbia, IL
Text: John 6:55-56, 1 Cor 11:23-29
In the name of + Jesus. Amen.
Dear fathers and brethren, we are here in this place because of sin and its consequence death. Our primal ancestress, the woman Eve, brought sin into the world through her disobedience, and our primal ancestor, the man Adam, participated in her sin contrary to God's charge that he should protect creation. And "just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned."
And so we are here in this place. We are dying sinners.
The cycle of sin and death was set into motion by eating. It was a forbidden fruit. It was the attempt to taste the divine that was not given to us. And we fully participate in the eating and drinking to our damnation whenever we eat the fruits of our sinful flesh and drink from the cup of demons.
But in His mercy, our Lord has come to rescue us from sin and its consequence death. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." And He dwells among us in His flesh, freely given to us. That is why we are here, sharing in His Word, partaking of His flesh, dwelling in the Holy Communion of His blood.
For "the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed," - a long night of betrayal from the Garden to this very moment, in the face of the betrayal of sin, death, and the devil, the betrayal of the world and our sinful flesh - "He took bread" - made of the grains of wheat that must fall to the earth and die in order to bear "much fruit." "And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me."
And so we are here in this place. We are dying sinners.
"In the same way also He took the cup after supper" - a cup not of demons but of redeemed creation - "saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me."
"For My flesh," says our Lord, "is true food and My blood is the true drink. Whoever feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day."
Our Lord Jesus, who throughy the woman Mary, brought redemption into the world through her obedience, this Man Jesus participates in our life, but without sin, and participates in the life of the Father, obedient to His charge as God the Creator to protect creation. For "by one Man's obedience the many will be made righteous."
The cycle of sin and death is broken by eating. For this Holy Eucharist is a bidden fruit. It is our invitation to taste the divine freely given to us. And we fully participate in the eating and drinking to our salvation whenever we feed on His flesh and drink the cup of the New Testament in His blood.
Dear fathers and brethren, we are here in this place because of forgiveness and its consequence life! Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Cecelia's Chapel, Toddhall Retreat Center, Columbia, IL
Text: John 6:55-56, 1 Cor 11:23-29
In the name of + Jesus. Amen.
Dear fathers and brethren, we are here in this place because of sin and its consequence death. Our primal ancestress, the woman Eve, brought sin into the world through her disobedience, and our primal ancestor, the man Adam, participated in her sin contrary to God's charge that he should protect creation. And "just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned."
And so we are here in this place. We are dying sinners.
The cycle of sin and death was set into motion by eating. It was a forbidden fruit. It was the attempt to taste the divine that was not given to us. And we fully participate in the eating and drinking to our damnation whenever we eat the fruits of our sinful flesh and drink from the cup of demons.
But in His mercy, our Lord has come to rescue us from sin and its consequence death. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." And He dwells among us in His flesh, freely given to us. That is why we are here, sharing in His Word, partaking of His flesh, dwelling in the Holy Communion of His blood.
For "the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed," - a long night of betrayal from the Garden to this very moment, in the face of the betrayal of sin, death, and the devil, the betrayal of the world and our sinful flesh - "He took bread" - made of the grains of wheat that must fall to the earth and die in order to bear "much fruit." "And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me."
And so we are here in this place. We are dying sinners.
"In the same way also He took the cup after supper" - a cup not of demons but of redeemed creation - "saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me."
"For My flesh," says our Lord, "is true food and My blood is the true drink. Whoever feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day."
Our Lord Jesus, who throughy the woman Mary, brought redemption into the world through her obedience, this Man Jesus participates in our life, but without sin, and participates in the life of the Father, obedient to His charge as God the Creator to protect creation. For "by one Man's obedience the many will be made righteous."
The cycle of sin and death is broken by eating. For this Holy Eucharist is a bidden fruit. It is our invitation to taste the divine freely given to us. And we fully participate in the eating and drinking to our salvation whenever we feed on His flesh and drink the cup of the New Testament in His blood.
Dear fathers and brethren, we are here in this place because of forgiveness and its consequence life! Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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