Sunday – Feast of Corpus Christi

Gospel – John 6:51-58

The Joy of the Eucharist

Server Training

For over 15 years, I have been blessed and energized by my ministry to our altar servers at SRB – training them, mentoring and encouraging them.  Throughout these 15 years, I would visit the 4^th graders and invite them to become servers.  But this past year was different!  This time I decided to include the 3^rd graders in my ‘server appeal’.  When I opened the church doors after school for training, imagine my shock when I saw the crowd (and I do mean crowd) coming in the doors.  I thought, for sure, maybe there was a children’s choir practice.  But NO!  They were all there for server training!  Over half the 3^rd grade class were trained that day.  WOW!

They were so excited, so energized and so attentive, the most attentive group of ‘newbies’ I have ever seen.  The reason seemed obvious.  They were still basking in the glow and the grace of their First Communion which was just a few months earlier.  And they wanted so much to get closer to God, closer to the Eucharist by serving at the altar.

We celebrate today the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ!  The Eucharist, the gift of real spiritual food that feeds our souls!  All our readings today speak of God’s gift to His people – the gift of manna in the desert to Moses and the Hebrews.  Jesus proclaiming Himself the Living Bread that has come down from heaven; all who eat of it will live forever.  The cup of blessing and the bread we break!

Even today, those 3^rd graders are so motivated, so strengthened at the prospect of serving at Mass. If only we could all keep that feeling alive every time we approach the altar to receive the gift of the Eucharist.

One simple thought today!  Do we still have that childlike wonder and joy we felt at our First Communion?  When we approach the altar at Communion time, do we believe firmly and completely that we are receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus?