► Text of Sunday Reflection
► Readings, Reflections & Prayers
Scripture readings: Association for Catholic Priests
– www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie
Reflections and Prayers by Fr Jack Finnegan SDB
1st Reading – Genesis 14:18-20
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him one tenth of everything.
Reflection
Melchizedek, priest and king, is an intriguing figure in the long history of the Christian faith and the Eucharist. The story is explored in two main texts. The first is recounted here in our first reading and the second is found in Hebrews (7:11-28). The bread and wine offered at Melchizedek’s meeting with Abraham have long been associated with Eucharist, as has Melchizedek himself with the priesthood of Christ. In Jesus, and in his self-sacrifice offered once for all, Eucharist is the privileged way to a new relationship with God. In fact, every time we approach Eucharist we are drawn into a radical act of solidarity and responsibility with God. Eucharist opens the door for us into the heart of God, into the heart of oneness with Trinity, into the reality of thoroughly changed lives. It is a symbol of unity, of knowing who we are, of giving and sharing, of breaking open the self and sharing it with the world. May the blessing of Melchizedek touch each one of us today and prepare us to celebrate Eucharist fully with true devotion and understanding: a banquet and a letting go.
Prayer
LORD, Adonai, in ancient times Melchizedek, priest-king of what was to become your holy city, brought out bread and wine to bless your servant Abraham. Let that same blessing come upon us today. Melchizedek reminds us of Jesus who also blest bread and wine and shared it with his disciples. In so doing he shared himself with us. He fills us with life, draws us into his oneness with you and into your loving heart. As we celebrate Eucharist today remind us who we are and fill us with your love. Help us embrace Eucharist as your symbol of unity, of giving and sharing, of breaking open the self and sharing it with the world. Never let us forget that we are sharing a banquet and a letting go. Amen and Amen.
Psalm 110:1-4
Reflection
Who is the priest-king David foretells in today’s royal psalm, a priest-king with whom he has a personal relationship? More to the point, our psalm not only reminds us that Melchizedek was a priest-king but calls on us to proclaim in faith that Jesus is a priest-king, too, in the line of Melchizedek. In the Eucharist Christ is the priest who presides over his own Eucharistic Banquet and gives himself to us with his own hand. The origins of the Church lie in the Eucharist and the Eucharist is the central experience of our faith, the privileged place where we are touched by salvation and creation, and proclaim that Jesus is Lord. In the Eucharist Jesus offers us his life of communion with the Father in the Spirit, life to the full. When we gaze on the Eucharist, when we gaze deep into the Eucharist, we find ourselves at the edge of Christ’s radiant glory in the heart of Trinity. We find ourselves at the edge of oneness. Are we ready to go over the edge?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek! You live and die for us! You offer yourself to the Father that we might live in you forever! Receive our gratitude today! Accept our songs of praise! You nurture the hungry heart! In the Eucharist you truly are our Daystar! You are heavenly Dew! And in your Spirit we are born anew! You are Lord of the cosmos! You are the living door to oneness! As we celebrate Eucharist today fill us with new life, life to the full. Amen and Amen.
2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 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.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Reflection
Our second reading links today’s celebration to that of Holy Thursday. On Holy Thursday the Eucharist is set within the rich context of the paschal mystery. Corpus Christi instead reminds us that Eucharist is the heart of the Church. The reading from St Paul reminds us not just of the origins of our most sacred ritual but of its roots in the earliest days of the Christian community. It also reminds us that we are celebrating Eucharist in memory of Christ, the crucified, risen and ascended one, as we await his return in glory. Through Eucharist we not only encounter Christ in the present moment, we remember and embrace the reality of what he did for us all those years ago and we look forward to the glorious completion of all things in him. Time and distance fade away and make room for oneness as St John Chrysostom reminds us. The table on the night of the Last Supper has no advantage over the table we use today, for it is always the same Lord who does everything. Can you glimpse the call to oneness?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, your servant Paul reminds us of what you did at the Last Supper. Every time we celebrate Eucharist you offer us your body, the doorway to divine life and oneness! You offer us your blood, the radiant mark of your new covenant and unity! The Eucharist reminds us that you laid down your life for us. You love us so much! May time and distance melt away and make room for oneness! It is always you who do everything! May we never forget you! May we stand for life! May we never betray your gift of life to the full! As we celebrate Eucharist today help us to be true to your love and your memory. Now and forever. Amen and Amen.
Gospel Reading: Luke 9:11-17
The crowds followed Jesus; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured.
The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish-unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
They did so and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
Reflection
We tend to link the institution of the Eucharist with the Last Supper but the New Testament offers us other narrative links. First there is the link to the meals Jesus shared with his disciples and the ways he taught them to feed the people as we are reminded in today’s gospel. Then there are the meals he shared with his disciples after the resurrection. Such events remind us of community and fellowship. But they also remind us of our sharing in the messianic banquet, the awesome supper of the Lamb, where we share with Mary and the saints in glory as guests of the Eucharistic Lord. In so doing we are called to share Christ’s desire for the world, his desire for healing and empowering presence, peace, loving-kindness, forgiveness, reconciliation, and compassion. The Eucharistic Lord wants to transform us and the world in which we live. He also wants us to feed those in need. Here, even the apostles are challenged to give the people something to eat. Can we see the link? Are we up to the same challenge?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, how wonderful your care for us! How glorious your compassion! You want us to be fed. You want to share your very life with us! May we never dismiss those who need food! May we never dismiss those in need of blessing and compassion! Forgive us our neglect of those in need. Help us soften our possessive hearts. May we be ever ready to share your loving presence with a smile, a word, a gentle lift of the hand! As we celebrate Eucharist today fill us with your wonderful generosity and compassion. May we empower others as you empower us! For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever! Amen and Amen.