Celebrating unity in the Eucharist

First Mass
May 16th 1976
The Mass, or the Lord's Supper, gathers together the people of God with the priest presiding in the person of Christ to celebrate the eucharistic sacrifice. The promise of Christ is fulfilled "where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in their midst" Matt. 18 v 20.
He is present in the assembly itself which is gathered in his name, in the person of the priest, in his word and in the sacred elements of the bread and wine. In his presence there

are acts of sorrow for sin, joy and thanksgiving for our new life in him. We listen to him, speak to and through him to our Father in heaven, offer ourselves and receive in return his person as the food of our spirit. Through the power of his Spirit in our hidden selves we are dismissed (Missa - go - Mass) to live that life in our own person.

Jesus said: "Follow Me."
The church building is just
the sign to society of God's presence. The church is the people of God who are sent out to be living witnesses of His love.

Following Jesus does not mean slavishly copying his life. It means making his choice of life your own starting from your own potential, and in the place where you find yourself. It means living for values for which Jesus lived and died. It means following the path he took and seeing things as he saw them.