Our Pastor’s Corner – Week of June 22, 2025

Dear Friends,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Our Gospel reading this weekend is often referred to as the multiplication of the loaves and fish, but it is much more than a miracle of feeding. It has profound Eucharistic overtones, filled with elements that can inspire and challenge us as a community—not just to receive the Eucharist, but to be transformed by it and become the very presence of Christ in the world.

One of the first things we notice is that Jesus responds to the crowds quite differently than His disciples do. Jesus teaches & heals the people, seeing them as an opportunity for ministry. The disciples, however, see the same crowds as a burden & a threat to their time and resources. They want to send them away, but Jesus insists they remain & then challenges the disciples: “Give them something to eat.” The disciples, however, immediately recognize how little they have in the face of such a great need. This speaks to us today. We often forget that the good works that we do, do not depend solely upon our own resources. The “bread that satisfies” comes from Jesus, not from us. God can do infinitely more with what we offer Him — if only we are willing to give Him something to work with (that is, put what little we have into His hands).

Jesus “takes, blesses and breaks” the bread, but He distributes it through the hands of His disciples —just as He feeds us today at every Mass through the ministry of priests. Jesus continues to feed His Church today through the holy Priesthood, offering us His Body and Blood in the sacred Eucharist.

The Gospel also tells us that the people were satisfied — something rarely noted elsewhere in the Gospels. This satisfaction goes beyond physical hunger; it speaks to the deepest spiritual hunger within the human heart. Jesus alone can satisfy that hunger with the gift of Himself in the Eucharist. Often, we try to feed our spiritual hunger with “junk food”— accomplishments, entertainment, consumerism, or relationships — yet we are left unfulfilled. However, only Jesus can provide the lasting satisfaction that we seek.

Finally, notice the care the disciples take at the end of the meal. They collect twelve baskets full of the fragments left over. The term “fragments” may seem insignificant, but in the first century, it was used to refer to the remaining particles of the Eucharist. The disciples’ reverence in gathering these remnants speaks to their deep respect for Christ’s enduring presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Even today, when we receive the Eucharist at Mass, any remaining fragments are collected and reserved in the tabernacle for the sick and for adoration. Yet, after receiving, having fed upon His Presence, we must go forth into the world to bring Him into the lives of others.

As we celebrate this great solemnity, let us be mindful of the incredible and eternal gift of Jesus, who shares with us His Body and Blood — His very presence — so that we may become living tabernacles of God in the world. May we reflect the heart and mind of Christ as people who are transformed by the Eucharist and actively live as members of His Body. This celebration is not just about whom we receive in the Eucharist —it’s about who we are called to become through it: the living presence of Jesus in the world. As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, may we grow in reverence, appreciation, and love for the Eucharist, and reflect this gift in the way we live our lives.

In light of this great liturgical feast, this Sunday at the 10 AM Mass, we will celebrate a “Solemn” Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi here at our Lady of the Assumption which will be followed by a simple Eucharistic Procession with the Most Blessed Sacrament through the church, moving outside and concluding with Benediction in the Piazza. I invite you and your families to attend this special celebration as we honor our Eucharistic Lord.

The Festival Thermometer is back! Our goal this year has been set at $7,500. Please consider making a donation to our annual Festival appeal this year as it really helps to defray the many costs and expenses associated with the feast. A donation box is located in the back of church, or you may go to the Festival page on our website to donate online.

In addition to the Festival Thermometer, the Annual Ad Book is being put together as part of our fundraising efforts. All ads, patron club levels & memorials need to be submitted by Friday, July 11th. If you have any questions or need help with your requests, please contact the Parish Office or Millie Slifer at 610-662-6231. I thank you in advance for your generosity towards this annual event and we are looking forward to another wonderful feast!

I thank you again for your continued prayerful and financial support of our parish. I hope you get to enjoy some beautiful summer days. May God bless you and your families!

Love and prayers, Father Carey