Christ the King Catholic Church 4700 Madison Avenue Trumbull CT 06611 Parish Office: 268-8695 Faith Formation Office: 261-2583 Fax: 268-9265 www.christthekingtrumbull.org Email: [email protected] www.facebook.com/christthekingtrumbull/ July 25, 2021 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Parish Staff Fr. Walsh, Pastor & Director of Religious Education Don Brunetto, Deacon Mary Ann DeFusco, Trustee Carlos Perez, Trustee Joseph Peddle, Finance Council Chairperson Joseph Montanaro, Parish Council Chairperson JoAnn Zimmerman, Religious Education Administration Anthony & Tina Mancini, Co-Youth Ministers Rebecca Barko, Director of Music Masses Sacrament of Godparent and Saturday Vigil: 5:00 pm Baptism: Confirmation Sunday: 7:30AM, 9:15 AM, 11:00 am All are requested to call the Parish Sponsor Requests: Daily Mass: Monday - Thursday: 9:00am Office. Please refer to our website Friday: 11:00 am. Holy Days: See Bulletin for schedule at Parish Membership: www.christthekingtrumbull.org Sacrament of Reconciliation Welcome! Please introduce Saturday: 3:00 pm - 4:30pm and before and after every yourself to the parish staff and for information on Sponsor daily Mass. stop by the Parish Office and requests. register. Adoration Every Monday from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Come spend an Sacrament of intimate hour before our Lord and be filled with His Radiant Marriage: Light. Arrangements are to be made 8 months in advance. Please call the office for Prayer Line information and to meet with the Pastor Mary Ann DeFusco, 261-4378 and begin Marriage Preparation Please notify the or Barbara Sliva at 268-6108. classes. Parish Office (203)268-8695 if you are moving Knights of Columbus, Hospital and Home or have moved so that we can Council 2961 Visitations: update our Parish Census. Thank meets on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 7:30pm in the Please notify the parish of family you ! Christ the King Parish Hall. If you are interested in joining, illness. please email [email protected]. The Bread of Life – The Eucharist Fr. Terry Walsh “Do this in remembrance of Me.” – 1 Corinthians 11: 24-25 “A picture speaks a thousand words!” This old familiar expression is clearly displayed in homes of those who adorn their walls with pictures of family and friends, which constantly serve to remind them of their love for one another. A glance through a family album reveals still more priceless memories. A little deeper reflection on any one of these snapshots in time would certainly evoke a deep and perhaps even mysterious appreciation of the profound impact they actually had on the lives of others; how they helped pave the paths that led to many bountiful graces and blessings. When we carefully consider their loving influence, deeply felt emotions often bubble to the surface of our hearts. Naturally, our appreciation of their influence leads to a greater understanding of the sacrificial nature of love. So often, there is a yearning to cling to those “moments” – to “go back” and “re-live” each precious experience with a new found appreciation of their significance. While the joyful memories effortlessly rush over our hearts, even the painful ones may arouse a deeper gratitude for sacrifices that were not fully understood at the time. If only we could go back and enter into that “life-changing” moment and once again enjoy the graces flowing from that love! Would that we could express our gratitude, even as we continue to receive the gift! Ah, only in the Mass is this very hope realized where we are, in fact, able to “go back: and “re-live” the most extraordinary act of love and mercy ever known to man: the moment when Jesus laid down his life upon the altar of the Cross so that we could share in his divine life. We contemplate His sacrifice even while we continue to receive its fruits. Truly, it happens at every Mass. In a mysterious and efficacious way, we are there – at the Last Supper – hearing his words – as he says them: “Take and eat…take and drink”. We are truly at the foot of the Cross with our Blessed Mother – she is really and truly present. It’s not a simple picture but rather, it is the reality of the Mass. The Eucharistic prayer paints the picture for us while at the same time makes present the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus, which took place in time, nearly 2000 years ago but that we enter into at every Mass. The Priest calls us to lift up our hearts to the Lord in thoughtful preparation for the Eucharistic Prayer: it is right and just. While we have come to give thanks and praise, we will actually receive the outpouring of grace from the pure, spotless, holy victim, the Lamb of God. The Church teaches that the Anaphora, that is, the Eucharistic Prayer, is “the heart and summit of the celebration of the Mass.” At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Memorial of his sacrifice, the Eucharist, and conferred upon the Apostles the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the Sacred Priesthood, so that the Memorial of his Passion, Death, and Resurrection would be offered throughout the rest of time – for our salvation. He promised he would remain with us forever and so he does – through his priests. The Preface introduces us to the mysterious union of heaven and earth as we call to mind various aspects of the mystery of the life of Christ. There are many different Prefaces, each expressing a different aspect of our salvation. For instance, at the Easter Vigil, the Preface sings: “Through him the children of light rise to eternal life and the halls of the heavenly Kingdom are thrown open to the faithful; for his Death is our ransom from death, and in his rising the life of all has risen.” The Preface at the Last Supper, also used on the Feast of Corpus Christi (June 6th this year) sings: “For he is the true and eternal Priest, who instituted the pattern of an everlasting sacrifice and was the first to offer himself as the saving Victim, commanding us to make this offering as his memorial. As we eat his flesh that was sacrificed for us, we are made strong, and, as we drink his Blood that was poured out for us, we are washed clean.” After calling to mind the particular facet of the salvation won for us by our Lord celebrated in the Preface, we enter into the song of the angels and saints: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!” All of heaven is in our midst – we are entering into their constant chorus of thanks and praise in the presence of God. The great prophet Isaiah was blessed with actually seeing this extraordinary vision of the Heavenly Host at the moment of his calling (Book of Isaiah, Chapter 6). Likewise, in the Book of Revelation, St. John the Evangelist was given a vision of the glory of God: “And around the throne, are four living creatures. And day and night they never cease to sing, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (Revelation 4:6). Indeed, many Saints have been given the grace of seeing what the Church has always held: that in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we are entering into the Glory of God. He is Present, along with the angelic hosts and all the saints. We truly sing with them. Consider the Trinitarian nature of this Heavenly chorus of wonder and praise for the gifts of creation, redemption, and sanctification. We sing “Holy (Father), Holy (Son), Holy (Holy Spirit)! Lord God of Hosts! Heaven and earth are filled with your glory!” All three Persons of the Holy Trinity are at work. Next, the priest, standing in the place of Christ, prays to the Father to send the Holy Spirit on the gifts of bread and wine that are upon the altar of sacrifice. This part of the Eucharistic prayer is known as the Epiclesis. It is by the Power of God that these gifts may become the Body and Blood of Christ. The Priest extends his hands over the offerings and says: “Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.” Then with clear distinction, the priest pronounces the words of Institution, which include the words of Consecration. While the words of Institution vary slightly, the words of consecration are identical in all forms of the Eucharistic Prayer. In the Roman Canon, also known as the 1st Eucharistic Prayer, the Priest begins by saying: “On the day before he was to suffer, he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying…..” Then, through his priest, Jesus says the words of consecration: “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is My Body, which will be given up for you.” He then takes the Chalice and continues: “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the Chalice of My Blood, the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in Memory of Me.” When the priest holds up the Host, Christ is turning His Merciful gaze toward you from the tiny host and calls you by name: “Come to Me…I will give you ‘Living Water’… ‘I will fill you with Divine Light’… ‘I will feed your thirsty soul with the Bread of Angels and streams of Living Water will forever well up from within you!’ What greater example of mercy could there possibly be? In those few brief moments, through the eyes of faith, we can see the extraordinary Light emanating from the very Heart of God, exploding out to the entire Universe, stamping out darkness, crushing all impurity, restoring Light, Happiness, and Peace.