Sunday, August 19, 2018

Proverbs opens the Liturgy of the Word with the image of Woman Wisdom calling us to share in her banquet. Begotten by God and helper at creation (8:22-31), Woman Wisdom promises to feed us with insight and knowledge. For Christians, her banquet foreshadows the gift of the Eucharist.

Today’s Gospel continues the Bread of Life discourse with some of the deepest theological and sacramental insights in the Gospel of John. With Jesus’ statement that “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” John connects the Incarnation with the events of salvation: “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14) for the purpose of giving His life for the salvation of the world.

This is also a reminder of the words of the Institution of the Eucharist: “Then He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you…” (Luke 22:19). The connection between the Eucharist and Jesus’ Death is further strengthened by the words “unless you drink His blood.” As Jesus is the “living water” (John 4:11-14), he is also the “living bread.” As the Sacrament of Baptism confers the life of God, the Sacrament of the Eucharist nourishes this life. For John, the purpose of the Incarnation of the Word was more than becoming flesh to take on our human nature. The Incarnation also embraced Jesus’ Death and Resurrection—the Paschal Mystery—whose life-giving effects would nourish believers in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Jesus’ words culminate by saying that “the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.” Unequivocally Jesus tells us that in the Eucharist we share in the very life of God. At Home with the Word.

In His love and mine,

Fr. Ken

In the Spring of 1988, Bishop William D. Keeler formed a new parish to accommodate the rapid growth in Silver Spring Township and named Reverend James R. O’Brien as the founding pastor. That same year, Mother Katharine Drexel was beatified by Pope John Paul, II. At Bishop Keeler’s request, the Holy Father gave his permission to name the Parish in Silver Spring Township as the first parish in the world to be named in her honor. Eighteen years later, on October 1, 2000, Blessed Katharine Drexel was canonized and the church’s name changed to Saint Katharine Drexel.

The Saint Katharine Drexel Parish Family, guided by the Holy Spirit, commits itself to reaching out and sharing with all people the love and service modeled by our patroness, with the Eucharist as our source of strength. Through prayer and action, we will serve God, our Lord and Savior, and our community, exhibiting a special concern for the poor, oppressed and marginalized of our society, especially those among the African-American & Native-American peoples.