Where the Rubber Hits the Road

The homily follows the liturgy of the Word. It is the part of the Mass where the priest is to 'break open' the word that has been proclaimed so that all participants might be able to digest the lessons of God. Just as the priest is to break the eucharistic bread so that it can be taken by individuals, so too the preacher is to take apart the scriptures so that people will be able to understand them and by nourished by the Word of God. Here is a meditation video on the significance of the Eucharist. Enjoy! (I did!!)

The Roman Catholic celebration of the Eucharist is at one and the same time the most exalting and humbling of events for believers. It is no less so for those of us who are priests. So often in our regular day to day ministries, we lose sight of the immensity and awesomeness of the mass and it can become routine, in spite of its inherent glory. This summer, I am taking time during my personal and fraternal celebrations of the Eucharist here alongside the Ottawa River to search out musical power point presentations on YouTube that help me to concentrate on one specific prayer and moment of the liturgy at a time. I searching for these pieces, I have endeavored to choose offerings in a language other than English (although they often have English subtitles) as it helps me to enter into the mystery of each prayer, without getting tangled up in the words. It also helps to remind me of the truth that the Holy Roman Catholic Church is indeed universal and has much to offer from cultures fo...