cafod.org.uk Recognising Ourselves in the Breaking & Sharing of Bread

1 Corinthians12:12-31 Unity & diversity in the body

Q. Who are you? When you wake up to the truth of this scripture you can begin to understand that you are a unique and essential part of the body of Christ here on Earth... So... “Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. So be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people, this may be a wicked age but your lives should redeem it” Ephesians 5:14-16

When we wake up to the fact that we are truly a part of the Body of Christ we can become alive to the power of our own lives individually but more potently together... “Through Him, with Him and in Him” Catholic Christian Eucharistic Prayer

“Faith cannot just be words or beliefs without action, but must reach out to others, especially to those in need.” Pope Francis

Eucharistic People “May we become one body and one spirit in Christ” Catholic Christian Eucharistic Prayer III When we receive Communion we are told “the body of Christ... The blood of Christ” this is not just an affirmation of the facts of the mystery of the Eucharist (for those of us that follow this tradition), it is an affirmation of what you and of what we are. Especially after receiving Communion. With this realisation the true meaning of Communion is revealed and we are sent forth from the church to live it, to commune, to share, to work with the other parts of the body of Christ to do God’s work: To ensure all share in the bread of life not only spiritually but physically!

“Become what you receive” St Augustine The Great Saints Speak

“You have tasted the blood of the Lord, yet you do not recognise your brother… You dishonour this table when you do not judge worthy of sharing your food With someone judged worthy to take part in this meal” St John Chrysostom

Christ has no body now on earth but ours, No hands but ours, No feet but ours. Ours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the earth, Ours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good, And ours are the hands Which he has to bless us now. St Teresa of Avila

sdf We must be aware that Communion is about community, it is about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit entering into a deep level of communion with us through the bread and wine in and through Jesus Christ, the gifts. Not only this but it is about the communal sharing of bread together. Communion reminds us that God is aware and attentive to the most basic needs of his people and provides both spiritual and physical nourishment As the Body of Christ we must all constantly remind ourselves that we are called to live lives explicitly in community and be aware of the needs of others and to help them meet their needs using our own gifts.