            <div id="father_cummings_title">Father Cummings Homilies</div>
            <div id="father_cummings_excerpts">Excerpts</div><br/><br/>
            <div id="father_cummings_homily_title">The Bread of Life</div>  

            <div class="frcummings_content_paragraph">
               <p> After feeding 
                    the five thousand and walking on water, Jesus explained at length that 
                    He was the bread of life, and eating his flesh is the condition for being 
                    raised up on the last day. Many of his disciples left Him saying "This 
                    is a hard saying" but Peter stood firm "You, Lord, have the words of eternal 
                    life". Let's make it our goal to understand better, or rather, to appreciate 
                    even without clear understanding, but with a more certain faith, the mystery 
                    of the Eucharist. Read this sixth chapter of John's gospel tonight. A 
                    careful reading of these few pages cannot leave us unchanged. Ask the 
                    Holy Spirit to enlighten you, for <i>they shall be taught by God.</i> 
                    </p>
                 <p>The Heavenly 
                    Father will not deprive us of what our souls really long for, if only 
                    we will open them up. He gave us the true bread of life when He sent us 
                    His only Son. This bread would bring us not just an extension of life 
                    on earth, but eternal life, Christ calls it "real food and real drink" 
                    promising that<i> a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread 
                    which came down from Heaven; if any one eats of this bread, He will live 
                    for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is 
                    my flesh." (Jn. 6. 50-51) </i></p>
                 <p>The Eucharist, 
                    indeed every host and every part of a host, is identical with the Jesus 
                    who "was born of the Virgin and, offered up for the salvation of the world, 
                    hung upon the cross and now sits at the right hand of the Father" (Greg. 
                    VII, for Berengar of Tours). While He lacks the visible appearances of 
                    his body, He is truly present. Thus, rightly, do we adore Him in our Churches, 
                    bending the knee before the Eucharist in fitting homage to the Lord.</p>
                 <p> That is 
                    an amazing claim. It is one of the principle differences between Catholics 
                    and other Christians. Often, the realization that Christ is present in 
                    the Eucharist is what brings Protestants to seek full communion. The real 
                    measure of the faith is: how many Catholics come to visit the Blessed 
                    Sacrament outside of Mass? If it is truly Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul 
                    and divinity, dwelling among us still, He must be visited. If he is present 
                    to us, we must not be absent from Him! We all need to be converted, every 
                    day, by sitting in the presence of the Lord. We must sit at his feet like 
                    Mary. Moreover, we all need His strength. How jealously have imprisoned 
                    priests - like the late great Cardinal Kung of China - guarded small particles 
                    of the host so that, in solitary confinement, they were not alone! They 
                    derived superhuman strength from contact with the Lord; we all need that 
                    strength to win the battles for chastity, humility and patience. </p>
                 <p>Much has 
                    been said about Catholics who do not believe in the Real Presence of Christ 
                    in the Eucharist. But an even greater problem is the many who believe, 
                    but do not believe enough. Why? Because, intellectual assent is not God's 
                    objective, communion is. One soul who takes full advantage of this sacrament 
                    can give God more glory than ninety-nine who believe but have cold hearts. 
                    If you believe that you are coming to meet the King of Heaven, to draw 
                    near and embrace Him, come prepared. Dress properly, clean your hands, 
                    talk in whispers, come early, stay late and adore at other times. If it 
                    is true, that Christ is present in our Church - body, blood, soul and 
                    divinity - we must act accordingly. We must not leave Him alone. </p>
                 <p>Christ does 
                    not only want to be adored but united to us through communion. It is awesome 
                    enough for us to be invited into his Presence, but to become one body 
                    with Him? We should tremble. Receive Him worthily. Cleanse not only your 
                    hands but your hearts. Make use of the great sacrament of confession so 
                    that the merciful Father can prepare your soul to receive Christ, even 
                    as He prepared the soul of the Blessed Virgin for Her altogether unique 
                    union with Him. Jesus Christ portrays Himself as the Bridegroom and the 
                    Church as the bride to emphasize that his goal is loving union with us. 
                    Just as marriage consists of a mutual gift of self, so He has given Himself 
                    to us: first in the Incarnation and death on the Cross, then in this august 
                    Sacrament, and the final time will be as our reward in Heaven. (cf. <i>Transiturus</i>) 
                    He is the model bridegroom, who gives Himself, who would willingly lay 
                    down his life for his bride. The goal of life is union with God and in 
                    receiving Holy Communion, we come as close to Heaven on earth as is possible. 
                    </p>
                 <p>The Apostles, 
                    when they saw the Lord, rejoiced. Similarly, we should rejoice on account 
                    of the Eucharist, because it means that Christ is here with us. With us, 
                    moreover, so as to live in us. We seek <i>to be dissolved and be with 
                    Christ</i>. This is not an easy teaching. But, Lord, we believe, we take 
                    our position behind Peter and say with him: <i>You, Lord, have the words 
                    of eternal life. </i> </p>
    
    

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