Last Sunday, Mercy Sunday, I had the privilege of celebrating my youngest niece's first Holy Communion at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne. Emily is the fourth of my brother's children that I have been able to "give" communion to. As a priest, I have been so amazed by the gift of celebrating the Mass and of being able to be an "altar Christus" for God's people. As I was reflecting after Emily and her classmates received our Lord in Word and Sacrament, I was
taken by the profound gift of God's life given to us through the sacramental life of the Church! I was particularly aware that it wasn't "uncle Ray" that gave Emily communion but Jesus Christ Himself! I was awash in gratitude as I saw my family, four generations, sitting in the balcony near the sanctuary: my maternal grandmother, my parents, my Godson and eldest niece Jazmine, and the next generation: my great nephew Santos. All of them given eternal life by the Lord that I get to serve and represent as a priest! I've been meditating about all the places
that I have had the opportunity to celebrate mass ranging from parishes in Wyoming: particularly in Lander as my first pastorate and Pine Bluffs as my second pastorate all the way to Vietnam, Rome, Lisieux France, Australia, and Canada. I can still remember my first Holy Communion at St. Joseph's Church in Cheyenne as I received our Lord with my brother through the ministry of the late Fr. Angel Ornelas. That day my entire life changed as I entered more
profoundly into the life of the Trinity and the Church. It was all I could do to fight back tears of joy, humility, and gratitude at the encounter that my niece now shares with me! Now she will have access to all the graces of the Eucharist as she matures as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as she discovers her own vocation. The challenge for me and for all of us is to live Eucharistic lives in the service of the Gospel and the people in our lives. This is not done with all the pomp and circumstance of dresses and veils but in the garments of the everyday-the invisible baptismal garment that we are clothed in. Most often in the ordinary trials, doubts, joys, and failures of daily life. I've always prayed that each mass and each communion be for me better than the first though I'm not always certain that this is my conscious experience. What a wonderful way to celebrate Mercy Sunday and finish the Octave of Easter! On April 25th my goddaughter Avery will get to share this experience though I will not get to be with her as I will be promoting vocations in Worland. Regardless of distance, new life continues to flow into the world through the Church and especially through the Eucharist!
Last Sunday, Mercy Sunday, I had the privilege of celebrating my youngest niece's first Holy Communion at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne. Emily is the fourth of my brother's children that I have been able to "give" communion to. As a priest, I have been so amazed by the gift of celebrating the Mass and of being able to be an "altar Christus" for God's people. As I was reflecting after Emily and her classmates received our Lord in Word and Sacrament, I was
taken by the profound gift of God's life given to us through the sacramental life of the Church! I was particularly aware that it wasn't "uncle Ray" that gave Emily communion but Jesus Christ Himself! I was awash in gratitude as I saw my family, four generations, sitting in the balcony near the sanctuary: my maternal grandmother, my parents, my Godson and eldest niece Jazmine, and the next generation: my great nephew Santos. All of them given eternal life by the Lord that I get to serve and represent as a priest! I've been meditating about all the places
that I have had the opportunity to celebrate mass ranging from parishes in Wyoming: particularly in Lander as my first pastorate and Pine Bluffs as my second pastorate all the way to Vietnam, Rome, Lisieux France, Australia, and Canada. I can still remember my first Holy Communion at St. Joseph's Church in Cheyenne as I received our Lord with my brother through the ministry of the late Fr. Angel Ornelas. That day my entire life changed as I entered more
profoundly into the life of the Trinity and the Church. It was all I could do to fight back tears of joy, humility, and gratitude at the encounter that my niece now shares with me! Now she will have access to all the graces of the Eucharist as she matures as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as she discovers her own vocation. The challenge for me and for all of us is to live Eucharistic lives in the service of the Gospel and the people in our lives. This is not done with all the pomp and circumstance of dresses and veils but in the garments of the everyday-the invisible baptismal garment that we are clothed in. Most often in the ordinary trials, doubts, joys, and failures of daily life. I've always prayed that each mass and each communion be for me better than the first though I'm not always certain that this is my conscious experience. What a wonderful way to celebrate Mercy Sunday and finish the Octave of Easter! On April 25th my goddaughter Avery will get to share this experience though I will not get to be with her as I will be promoting vocations in Worland. Regardless of distance, new life continues to flow into the world through the Church and especially through the Eucharist!
