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Crucified Christ

The question posed by the Lord to the Apostles was: Who do people say I am? The answer provided was generic and politically slanted: ‘Some say you are Elijah, some John the Baptist and some a prophet of some kind.’ Then, the Lord addressed the same question to Simon alone, for the pronoun used is in the singular: Who do you [Simon] say I am? The answer astounded all when he said: ‘You are the Messiah, or the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ In Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 16:18) the Lord, in reply, asserts that Simon’s response was inspired by God and that he would be the Rock, [which in English is Peter] upon which I will build my Church. Ever since that moment the Church of Christ has had a visible rock, or Pope, established by God to protect and safeguard his teaching. Then Christ foretells his death. Simon Peter speaks out and is rebuked. What has happened? At one moment Peter was acclaimed as prince of the Apostles and then he is likened to the devil! He fell from sanctity to sinfulness, from saint to satan. Why did Christ refer to Peter in this manner? The term satan means adversary – the Evil One who opposes God’s will. Peter opposed the will of God, he attempted to separate Christ from his cross. Hence the words of the Lord: ‘The way you think is not God’s way but man’s’. Yet Peter’s motives were humanly noble, he showed true compassion for the Lord and sought to prevent him from any possible pain. So humanly speaking the primate of the Apostles judged rightly, he spoke as many of us would speak for someone that we love. Christ however was divinely motivated. He sought not comfort but crucifixion. In short, the Lord was born to die, he came into the world to bear the cross. It was the purpose and culmination of his life. Only in time did Peter learn this, as do we!

First Holy Communion Day

Sacrament of the Eucharist is Holy Communion

The Church has received the Holy Eucharist from Christ her Lord not as one gift – however precious – among so many others, but as the gift par excellence, for it is the gift of himself, of his Person in his sacred humanity. This great Sacrament is a consequence of His Sacrifice, re-lived in the Mass. After Good Friday there is Easter Sunday. After the consecration at Mass there is Holy Communion. The Church draws her life from Christ in the Eucharist; by him she is fed and by him she is enlightened. The Eucharist is both a mystery of faith and a ‘mystery of light’. Whenever the Church celebrates Mass, the faithful can in some way relive the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Lk 24:31).

3 Conditions for Holy Communion

1. Be a baptized Catholic who believes

2. Be free of mortal/serious sin

3. Be fasting for 1 hour beforehand