“Stop making My Father’s house a marketplace”
Just a couple weeks ago, I watched the scene of this gospel passage come to life in the fifth season of the Chosen. Jesus spoke these words and in a matter of minutes changed the way of the Temple. The Temple was meant to be a place of worship and prayer. Jesus desired that, and He desires this for our churches today. This is why I love what is coming this next weekend: our annual Eucharistic Devotions. It reminds us of the sacredness of a church and what we are called to do there…to pray and worship Him…to open our hearts to His heart. I want to take a moment and share part of a letter I wrote inviting to our liturgical ministers and parish council members to come to Eucharistic Devotions and extend that invitation to everyone.
Pope Leo XIV once said that “Christ is God's answer to our human hunger, because His Body is the bread of eternal life: Take this and eat of it, all of you!” This invitation goes out to the world. “Take this”…receive Me, be with Me, allow Me to be the answer to all the hunger that is in your hearts. That’s what this weekend is all about. The song chosen for Eucharistic Devotions is “The Feast Meant for Everyone,” by Sarah Hart and Tom Booth. The song speaks of the Eucharist as “food for all people, empty we all come” and “drink for the brother, thirsting for more; drink for the sister who’s run out of hope.”
As we approach Eucharistic Devotions weekend on November 14-16, we bring our hungry hearts, thirsting for more, hoping for more. These last few months have been tough for our country. So many have been shell-shocked by events, one after another. When you visit the USCCB website, a question is placed front and center: “What happens to a nation when violence no longer shocks us?” This is where we find ourselves. What do we do in the midst of this reality? We pray. We come to Jesus and give it all to Him. We come and ask for peace and protection in the midst of craziness. He is our peace. Don’t ever forget it.
Our Closing Vespers will be at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, November 16th. We will warmly welcome Fr. Rob Ramser, Pastor of Our Lady of the Angels in Cleveland. He is a seminary classmate of mine and priest of 10 years. He will be preaching and reflecting on the gift of the Eucharist in his life. Come to Jesus. You will never regret time spent with the Lord.
Transform our hearts, Lord,
Fr. Jeremy
