At the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (Corpus Christi), we celebrate the Real Presence of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who took our flesh that we may be reconciled to the Father, that we may be brought out of sin and into one in Him. In our Baptism, we are joined to the Body of Christ; we become members of the Body of Christ. This reality is remembered, renewed, and deepened in our common celebration of the Holy Eucharist. As Jesus is made present to us through the Holy Spirit, we remain connected to Him and to one another through the action of the Holy Spirit in the Eucharist.
"In our Baptism, we are joined to the Body of Christ; we become members of the Body of Christ. This reality is remembered, renewed, and deepened in our common celebration of the Holy Eucharist."
The Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, we had a tangible experience of this union with Jesus and one another and felt the power of the Holy Spirit. We joined together- Bishop, priests, deacons, religious, and lay persons. We prayed and entered into the liturgy together. We meditated upon and discussed Sacred Scripture, and we heard the good news of the healing and communion leading to mission that we may find in the Eucharist. The delegations from our parishes discerned their next steps for implementing a Eucharistic Revival so that all may be more perfectly joined to us in our worship of our God and in the mission of spreading the Good News of the Kingdom, and many of them have begun to implement those next steps.
This solemnity of Corpus Christi, we tum to the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction. We ask for the grace of lives of faith, that we may more fully understand and enter into the mystery of the Eucharist and that we may be faithful to Jesus who is always faithful to us. We ask for the grace of lives of hope, finding strength in the Eucharist for the struggle of this life and knowing that God is with us and will lead us into His glory. We ask for the grace of lives of love, reaching out individually and together for the good of others, seeking out the lost in their need, listening to their stories and hearing their desire for love, for companionship, and for God, and proclaiming to them the abundant life in Christ that we have found.
"This solemnity of Corpus Christi, we tum to the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction. We ask for the grace of lives of faith, that we may more fully understand and enter into the mystery of the Eucharist and that we may be faithful to Jesus who is always faithful to us."
We look forward to working toward revival on many levels. Each of us is called to renewed Eucharistic Faith. Parishes will continue to discern and implement their plans for revival, calling out to the Holy Spirit for guidance. Deaneries will gather to celebrate the Eucharist, with parishes sharing what is bearing fruit so that the other parishes can discern if they are called in the same direction.
Our next Diocesan Convocation, will be a Eucharistic Convocation at which we will take stock of how the Holy Spirit has been moving in our diocese. We will hear stories of parishes where the Revival has borne extraordinary fruit, and we will be inspired for further efforts. Second, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and National Eucharistic Congress will provide an opportunity for people from our Diocese to be filled with grace and come back to ever beautiful efforts.
"Our next Diocesan Convocation, will be a Eucharistic Convocation at which we will take stock of how the Holy Spirit has been moving in our diocese."
The Holy Spirit is with us! The Holy Spirit is guiding us! Let us follow the Holy Spirit into deeper relationship with Jesus, into mission to those in our parish and community, and into True Eucharistic Revival.
Come, Holy Spirit!
+Most Reverend Stephen J. Berg
Bishop of Pueblo
Image by Freepik
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