As we enter into the beautiful month of June, our hearts and our liturgy turn toward one of the most profound mysteries of our faith, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, traditionally known by its Latin name, Corpus Christi. Now, if you caught the pre-Mass announcements from my wonderful wife, Alma, you already know my favorite reminder for this feast day: we aren’t talking about that beautiful Texas city down by the bay where the coastal winds blow! Instead, we are diving headfirst into the eternal truth of what happens right here at our altar. For those of us walking in the Dominican tradition as the Order of Preachers, Independent, this feast holds a special place in our spiritual heritage. In 1264, it was our own Dominican brother, Saint Thomas Aquinas, who composed the stunning prayers, sequences, and hymns for this universal celebration. He looked past the mere symbols of bread and wine to declare a powerful, life-altering reality that Christ is truly, fully, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist.

In the liturgical cycle of Year A, Sacred Scripture traces a beautiful line from God’s historical provision to His ultimate fulfillment in the sacrament. In our first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites of the miraculous manna that rained down from heaven during their forty years in the wilderness. God allowed them to experience physical hunger so they could realize an essential spiritual truth—that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Saint Paul builds upon this foundation in his letter to the Corinthians, giving us the ultimate blueprint for what a parish community should be by declaring that because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Finally, in the Gospel of John, Jesus does not speak in comfortable metaphors or poetic symbols. He stands before the crowds and tells them directly that He is the living bread that came down from heaven, and that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink. When we step up to the altar to receive Holy Communion, we are stepping directly into this divine reality and being physically and spiritually nourished by the very life of God.

As Dominicans, our guiding principle is Contemplata Aliis Tradere, which means to contemplate, and then to share the fruits of that contemplation with others. The Eucharist is never meant to be a private, isolated moment of personal piety. It is our active spiritual fuel. We consume the Body of Christ at the altar so that we can go out into the world and actively become the Body of Christ for a society that is starving for love, truth, and grace. We see the beautiful fruits of this holy unity alive in our upcoming parish calendar here at St. Michael’s throughout the month of June. We will gather right after Mass in the Parish Hall on June 14th for our monthly Coffee and Chat, which is a wonderful time to build up our communal bond and share fellowship. On June 21st, we will celebrate Father’s Day, honoring the men who lead, protect, and sacrifice for our families. Then, on June 28th, I will humbly celebrate my own Ordination Anniversary, thanking Almighty God for the immense, unmerited privilege of standing at this altar to break the Bread of Life for this parish family.

Our mission, however, stretches even further than our Sunday gatherings. Because we are nourished by the one loaf, we are already looking ahead and brainstorming for our upcoming November Act of Service. A church that is fed at the altar must actively go out and feed the neighborhood, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We start preparing our hearts, our ideas, and our plans now so that we can carry the charismatic fire of the Holy Spirit straight into the streets where people need it most. Within the welcoming, unconditional embrace of the Unified Old Catholic Church, our doors and our hearts are always open wide, and no matter where you are on your journey of faith, you have a place at our table. This Corpus Christi, let’s clear away the noise of the world, silence our digital distractions, and open our souls to the Real Presence. When you receive the Eucharist today and say your “Amen,” let it be a solemn promise to let Christ live through you, ignite your family, and transform our community. May the peace of Christ, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and minds always.

Fraternally in Christ,

Fr. Frank Bellino, PhD, OPI