With Christ as food for our spirit, we can Da-da-da-da-da-da! CHARGE!

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

“For as we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” — Romans 6:5.

Every baseball fan knows the familiar sound on the organ: “Da-da-da-da-da-daaa! CHARGE!”

The moment the organ sounds, everyone participates in the cry. This sound identifies, energizes, encourages, and unites.
It may seem like a strange comparison, but we have something similar — though far more profound — in our faith.

Today’s Gospel recalls that the two disciples were walking with Jesus, but did not recognize him.

Jesus explained the scriptures so profoundly that later they would recount: “Were not our hearts burning within us as he spoke to us on the way and explained the Scriptures to us.”

It was not until he accepted their invitation, sat down with them and then did something he had done just days before at the last supper: “He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.”

This experience is our own — “Da-da-da-da-da-da! CHARGE!” — but so much more.

This is the experience and the encounter that unites us as Catholics.

It is here in Eucharist that we become one in the Lord.

It is here in Eucharist that we come to know the presence of Jesus Christ risen.

It is here in Eucharist that our hearts burn within us, and we are nourished, identified, energized, encouraged and made ONE.

The symbols do what they say. In the symbols we find Christ, and he feeds and nourishes our deepest hungers and thirsts.

With Christ as food for our spirit, we can face anything. With Christ as food for our spirit, we can unite together and bring healing, peace, and new life to a hungry and often broken world.

Without food, we die. Without Christ as food for our spirit, we certainly have and are less. We hunger, we thirst, we eat, we drink, and in Christ we are made whole.

Then like the disciples in the Gospel today we, too, can recount what happened at the celebration of the Mass “how He was made known to” us “in the breaking of the bread.”

Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.