Laugh Your Way To Heaven

So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

— Eph 5:1-2 (NAB)

Penance Worthy

CHARLESTON SC (CR News) — Priests do think about what they hear in the confessional. At least, that’s what one usually reliable source at the Chucktown Diocese tells us. But still, they never tell anybody about what is said during the sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation).

It Is Written

The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church. The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the offering of her Head. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all men.

— cf. CCC 1368

How do mere mortals become more like Christ? We can’t answer that question. Fortunately, however, Jesus did. His answer is in the Church he established. It comes to us through the “the sacraments” he instituted.

The Blessed Sacrament (the Holy Eucharist), in particular, is truly transformational. Just consider the old saying: “You are what you eat.”

Life Goes On

Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist before dying on the cross for us. In his own words, after blessing the bread, he said: “This is my body.” The same was said for the cup of wine, saying it was his blood — the blood of a new covenant.

Going back to the Old Testament, the faithful always were required to eat the sacrifice in order to receive the graces hoped for in the sacrifice. The question comes down to what are you eating?

Jesus taught that a real, miraculous event was taking place when his apostles consecrated the offering of bread and wine during mass. The substance of the bread (what it really is … not just what it appears to be) is actually changed into the divine body of Christ. It’s a miracle!

If you don’t believe in the miracle, you won’t receive it. If you believe it’s just a symbol, you will just receive just a symbol. But if you have faith in the words of Christ, you will receive his real presence — body and blood, soul and divinity.

And so, “breaking bread” in the Gospels is not just having a pizza with some friends. And daily bread is not just groceries from the corner market. It’s all about the Christ. He really is with us to the end of the age in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Holy Eucharist is offered every hour of the day, everyday of the week in nations all around the globe, for all people (Mt 24:14) by the Church Jesus established, is building, and is protecting (Mt 18:18-20).

The real question is — what do you believe? Who do you say he is (Mt 16:15). It is for your soul, as you say and believe it is.

Our Story

So laugh a little! Laugh a lot! In fact, laugh your way to heaven if you wish! Just put your trust in Jesus, even if you don’t always understand everything he says. He’s still in control.

That’s our story and we’re sticking to it. It’s cool to be Catholic. COOL2B!

Vivat Jesus!