Study the Menu and Enjoy the Meal

(Note: June 26, 2011 is the Solemnity of Corpus Cristi. The day concluded the week-end marriage retreat of 14 couples of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) from Talisay City, Consolacion, Cebu Central with Cebu South as the leading Chapter.  On June 24 (Friday evening), Judy and I were honored and privileged to deliver the first talk, "Serving God through Christian Marriage".  I led the worship in the afternoon (June 25) before the talk, "Sex in Marriage" was presented.  As a couple, we headed the Liturgy.  Everyone (all BCBP servants, active members who took turns for the 48 hours non-stop intercession, the Sisters and staff of the Religious of the Virgin Mary [RVM] of the all-new Betania Retreat House in Lahug, Cebu City, the 3 confessors, the main Eucharistic Celebrant and the focal group, the spiritually awakened and maritally renewed couples with their respective family members) constituted the Body of Christ.  To this Body and all of you who may have the opportunity to read me, I am recalling what I have written 6 years ago.)   

Judy and I were privileged to teach hands-on the good manufacturing practices (GMP) of producing virgin coconut oil (VCO) at home to a relative from General Santos City last June 25 – 28, 2005. 

 

Little did we know that it was beyond the techniques of producing VCO because he opened-up not just his anxieties related to his physical health but his family concerns as well.  Their eldest son who recently graduated from UP at Los Baños (UPLB) with the degree in Chemical Engineering is breaking away from the Catholic Faith.  

In the series of our discussions and interactions, Judy shared her insights on “Reparenting the Child Within” (RCW) pointing out that their son is only a victim.

Thanks God for sparing us from this kind of predicament because four (4) years ago, our second daughter asked our permission to enroll at UP Diliman where she passed the entrance examination to pursue a degree in Applied Physics.  We had the strong feeling that with our approval, sooner or later, she will be parting from us physically and spiritually being indoctrinated with lots of intellectualism.  “Sin and intellectualism are avenues of separating ourselves from God’s Grace.”

I readily shared with my cousin the book by Scott and Kimberly Hahn entitled, “Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism”.  Overnight, I finished rereading my copy because I have been reading this book since we were serving with the Book Ministry of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) Mactan Chapter six (6) years ago.

Allow me to echo and re-echo the challenges of this couple to us Catholics to become Bible Christians and vice versa.  Let us study our Catholic Faith to know what we believe and why we believe it.  Let us read the Word of God, believe and live it daily to make our faith infectious.  “We need more contagious Catholics.”

Accordingly, Bible Christians have the Bible in hand with lots of zeal far more with less while many Catholics have the fullness of Faith in the Church but are famished and fast asleep.

Bible Christians have so much of the truth about Christ in the Scripture (sola scriptura) but lack the real and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Bible Christians study the menu but Catholics enjoy the meal.  As we enjoy the meal, we do not know the ingredients so we fail to share the recipe.

When the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ is renewed during the Mass, we gather at the Family Table for the Sacred meal that makes us One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. nmg

Important Notes:

“Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ increases the communicant’s union with the Lord, forgives his venial sins and preserves him from grave sins.  Since receiving this Sacrament strengthens the bonds of charity between the communicant and Christ, it also reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] No.1416).

“The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, that is, of the work of salvation accomplished by the life, death and resurrection of Christ, a work made present by the liturgical action” (CCC No. 1409).

“I am the living bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is my flesh and I will give it for the life of the world. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood, live in me and I in them” (Jn 6:56).