To the Editor:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:3-4
What a wonderful gift we Catholics have in the holy sacrifice of the Mass! As an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at St. Thomas More Parish in Coralville, I have the great privilege of offering the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus to my fellow parishioners. The great mystery of the body of Christ often overwhelms me. A mother whose child has a disability comes to the Lord’s Table to be refreshed and satisfied. A friend with a neurological disease manages to make her way to the altar and holds out her hands in total faith and trust. A loving husband tenderly grasps the hand of his wife who is ill. They open their hearts to the healer of our souls. As I place the Lord Jesus Christ in their outstretched hands, the great mystery of the body of Christ unfolds before my eyes. I’m offering them the body and blood of Jesus, but in their poverty and brokenness, I see the true presence of Christ. In them, I see my own brokenness and hunger for the only one who can truly satisfy. In them, I see my heart longing for the embrace of Jesus to quiet my soul. In their mourning, I hear my own heart crying for the comfort of Jesus. In their lives, I hear the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Mike Gannon
St. Thomas More Parish
Coralville
