Pastor’s Point to Ponder

Luke records that the disciples recognized him in the breaking of the bread. Here, in its infancy, is our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Christians later reflected on that awesome mystery and came up with a philosophical term, Transubstantiation, which aimed to explain how Christ could be fully in the elements of bread and wine and remain in the elements even after the Mass has concluded! As inheritors of both the biblical and philosophical traditions, we Catholics today still believe that the bread and wine we eat and drink each Sunday is not mere bread and wine, bur rather, through the words of institution spoken by the priest, "this is my body," "this is the cup of my blood," we recognize the presence of Christ in the broken bread, and poured wine, broken and shared for our salvation, just as did those disciples at Emmaus. Perhaps this week is an opportunity for us to rekindle our love and devotion for the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ. Let us take and eat and become like that which we have been given. A point to ponder this Third Sunday of Easter.