Jesus announces that he is the “living bread.” And we understand that the Eucharist is the center of our life in faith: in our families, parish, local church and throughout the world. We are the stewards of Christ’s life in the Eucharist. We are called to put the Eucharist into action. How do we do that? St. Paul enjoins us to be always grateful, to worship, to try to understand the will of the Lord and to watch carefully how we live. What are some of the ways we can put the Eucharist into action this week?

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By Dr. Robert Stackpole

On Aug. 15 each year, Catholics celebrate a feast day in honor of one of the greatest mysteries of the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: her bodily Assumption into Heaven. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it:

“The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son’s Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of His Body (974).”

One of our readers named Bernard recently wrote to me and asked if there really was any evidence that Mary was taken to heaven in body and soul upon her death, since the Bible seems to be silent about it, and even the early fathers of the Church say nothing about it. He had just read a book by a Protestant author who called Catholic belief in the Assumption the product of popular “sentiment and myth.” So, is it a doctrine we just have to accept with blind faith, because the Church says so, trusting that the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit?

To read the whole article by Dr. Robert Stackpole see link below.

https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/case-assumption-mary

Solemnity of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thursday August 15, 2024

Thursday Aug 15 is a day of Holy Obligation, Catholics are required to attend Mass. We will have no Vigil service.

8 a.m. English

12:10 p.m. English

5 p.m. English

7 p.m. Spanish/ Español

The Letter to the Ephesians urges us to be mindful that part of our life together in the Eucharist means being kind to one another, compassionate and forgiving, just as Christ has forgiven us. What can we do this week to show our kindness, compassion and forgiving attitude toward others in our family of faith? How can we be even better stewards of our faith community as, what St. Paul refers to as “Imitators of God?”

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In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus proclaiming that he is “the bread of life.” He then offers an invitation to come to him. For us, the invitation is to live the Eucharistic life in Christ. What does it mean for our parish family to live together in the Eucharist? What does it mean for us to share the Eucharist together, to participate in the “bread of life” together? Does it mean we love each other, support our community of faith, work together? Do we carry each other’s burdens? Celebrate our joys? What are the practical implications of being good stewards of our Eucharistic life together?

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https://www.fatherduffy.com/i-am-the-bread-of-life-whoever-comes-to-me-will-never-hunger-and-whoever-believes-in-me-will-never-thirst-gospel-of-john-6-35/

In today’s second reading, St. Paul offers the community at Corinth a spirituality of giving. He urges them to give and maintains that through their generosity, they will in turn be given in return much spiritual abundance. They will receive from those who are the beneficiaries of their own giving; a reciprocal gift that amounts to an equality of giving, made possible through the generous mediation of Christ himself. This is an excellent reading for reflecting on the spirituality of giving. This week, take time to reflect on the ways you might discover a deeper joy in Jesus Christ because of your own generosity toward others.

In today’s Gospel reading we hear Jesus commanding the wind and sea to be at peace, to be still. The Gospel scene depicting Jesus and his disciples on a boat seems appropriate for the summer. It is a season to contemplate nature and to find God in the wonders of His creation. It is also a time to contemplate, as stewards of the Lord’s abundant gifts, all of creation as God’s gift and that ultimately it is God who has control over the world and not us.