蜜桃交友

By Pope

During his Sunday Angelus on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Pope Francis turned to the day鈥檚 reading, in which Saint Paul describes the Eucharistic celebration. 鈥淗e highlights two effects of the shared chalice and the broken bread: the mystical effect and the communal effect鈥�, said the Pope.

The mystical effect

Pope Francis explained that Jesus is present in the sacrament of the Eucharist 鈥渢o be our nourishment, to be assimilated and to become in us that renewing force that gives energy and the desire to set out again after every pause or fall鈥�.

He added that this, however, requires 鈥渙ur assent, our willingness to let ourselves be transformed 鈥� our way of thinking and acting鈥�. Otherwise, continued the Pope, the Eucharistic celebrations in which we participate 鈥渁re reduced to empty and formal rites鈥�.

The communal effect

The communal effect is 鈥渢he mutual communion of those who participate in the Eucharist, to the point of becoming one body together, in the same way that one loaf is broken and distributed鈥�, said the Pope. He explained that 鈥渙ne cannot participate in the Eucharist without committing oneself to mutual fraternity鈥�.

Pope Francis continued saying the Lord knows that 鈥渙ur human strength alone is not enough for this鈥� and that aware of the temptation to rivalry, envy, prejudice, division, 鈥淗e left us the Sacrament of His real, tangible and permanent Presence, so that, remaining united to Him, we may always receive the gift of fraternal love鈥�.

This dual fruit

The Pope then explained that 鈥渢his dual fruit of the Eucharist: first, union with Christ and second, communion between those who are nourished by Him鈥�, generates and continually renews the Christian community. "It is the Church that makes the Eucharist", he said, "but it is more fundamental that the Eucharist makes the Church", continued the Pope, allowing her to 鈥�be her mission, even before she accomplishes it鈥�.

Finally, the Pope prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, that she may 鈥渉elp us to always welcome with wonder and gratitude the great gift that Jesus gave us by leaving us the Sacrament of His Body and His Blood鈥�.