The Most Body & Blood of Christ

Resources

Here you can find this Sunday's Readings, songs and hymns chosen by our music ministers, Father's homily, some petitions for us to offer together to God, the Spiritual Communion Prayer and a prayer for during this pandemic. If you are looking for something more, try these resources:

• Our YouTube Channel: We are teaming up with St. Joseph the Worker to live stream Mass. Join us at 4:15pm on Saturday on YouTube. You will also be able to access the video after the live broadcast if you'd rather participate in the Mass on Sunday.
• Archbishop's Live Broadcast: The Archdiocese will livestream Mass at 9:00am on Easter Sunday with Archbishop Jackels presiding.
• Magnificat: Head over to Magnificat for a full outline of all the prayers and readings for today's Mass.
• MagnifiKid: This is a resource to serve as a spiritual guide for kids that include activities and explanations for the readings and rituals of Mass.

The Readings

First Reading Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a

Moses said to the people:
“Remember how the Lord your God led you on this long journey through the desert these past forty years, sending hardships to test you, so that he might know what you intended to do and whether you would obey his commands. He made you go hungry, and then he gave you manna to eat, food that you and your ancestors had never eaten before. He did this to teach you that you must not depend on bread alone to sustain you, but on everything that the Lord says.

“Do not become proud and forget the Lord your God who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. He led you through that vast and terrifying desert where there were poisonous snakes and scorpions. In that dry and waterless land he made water flow out of solid rock for you. In the desert he gave you manna to eat, food that your ancestors had never eaten.”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 – Praise the Lord, Jerusalem

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Brothers and sisters: The cup we use in the Lord’s Supper and for which we give thanks to God: when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ. Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf.

Gospel John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you will live forever. The bread that I will give you is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live.”

This started an angry argument among them. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day. For my flesh is the real food; my blood is the real drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. The living Father sent me, and because of him I live also. In the same way whoever eats me will live because of me. This, then, is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread that your ancestors ate, but then later died. Those who eat this bread will live forever.”

Homily

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ 2020

Prayers of the Faithful

• For the Church, the body of Christ, that the bread of life and cup of blessing we share will strengthen us to build a culture of Life that protects the most vulnerable among us. We pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
• For our World, may our leaders have the wisdom and the will, the strength and the compassion to guide us through this vast desert of fear, despair and change. We pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
• For all who gather around this table of the Lord, especially our students who will be receiving the Eucharist for the first time this coming week, may we all be emboldened to carry Christ to the world.  We pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
• For all married couples. May the love they continue to show for each other be a true witness to the love our Lord shows for his bride the church. We pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
• For Robert & James Willis; Albert, Earl & Dorothy Cady Family; Mark Firzlaff; Gary Anglin; John Welsh & John Welsh Jr.; David & Judy Ochs; John & Polly Splinter; Melvin Shuster; Jim Kircher; and all who have died, may they rest joyfully in eternal life. We pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

A Prayer for During the Pandemic

Holy Virgin of Guadalupe,
Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.
We turn to you today as your beloved children.
We ask you to intercede for us with your Son,
as you did at the wedding in Cana.

Pray for us, loving Mother,
and gain for our nation and world,
and for all our families and loved ones,
the protection of your holy angels,
that we may be spared the worst of this illness.

For those already afflicted,
we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.
Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful,
wipe away their tears and help them to trust.

In this time of trial and testing,
teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.
Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.

We come to you with confidence,
knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother,
health of the sick and cause of our joy.

Shelter us under the mantle of your protection,
keep us in the embrace of your arms,
help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus. Amen.