Weekly Reflection - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

"When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the fragments left over.'" (Jn. 6:12)

This Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time and the following few weeks we will see St. John Chapter 6.  Although John doesn't have the institution narrative, he gives us his own treatment of the Eucharist.  This past year we could say has been a Eucharistic Fast.  It's hard to imagine God allowing us to go spiritually hungry without wanting us to appreciate in a new way what we might have taken for granted.  

We all have a God void within us that only He can fill.  Christ is truly essential.  We were created to love and be loved.  Pope Benedict XVI said that the strength we receive from the Eucharist is similar to electricity.  You can't see it but you can experience it's effects.

Questions for Reflection

• Have I taken the time to reflect how my hunger to receive Christ in the Eucharist has increased during this time period?
• In order to show Christ my gratitude for such a great gift, do I take advantage of the weekly holy hour or come and visit him during the day?
• Does the Sacrament of Charity have a  direct effect on the way I treat others?