St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“Why spend money on what cannot nourish and your wages on what fails to satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and you will have good things to eat and rich food to enjoy.” (Isaiah 55 v 2)

The call to holiness,

Utter, complete, full holiness

Is issued to us by Christ Jesus.

This is why the Eucharist

Is of critical, vital significance to us.

Jesus, Saviour of the world,

Comes to us in a personal way,

A way most intimate, unique,

To possess us as we partake of Him,

To know God’s love through the presence of Jesus.

What a very real difference.

Jesus as holy wisdom, and truth,

As God’s truth portrayed to us openly,

Makes, when we receive this, oh so precious,

Body of flesh and blood to possess our Saviour.

Present to us as a wafer on a platter,

And a chalice to drink from.

Jesus, transubstantiated in a way most mysterious.

The ways of God certainly amazing,

Magnanimous in the gifting of His mercy

Shown here by Jesus, as on the †.

An absolutely incredible love gifted us.

How powerful, how wonderful!

The reception of the love of God

Has been made possible by the Holy Spirit,

As we receive of Jesus, the Lord, God’s Word,

Strengthening us by sharing His own holiness.

“Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life set in God’s paradise.” (Revelation 2 v 7 TNJB)

The call to holiness is expressed,

Satisfied, glorified as we receive of Jesus,

In the addressing of a blessing in holy communion.

What a perfect union of divinity with humanity!

Our Father seeks us, speaks with us in Jesus.

“ ‘(S)he who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me’.” (John 14 v 24)

“Oh, turn to us and have mercy on us! Give Your strength to Your servants...Show us a sign for good.” (Psalm 87 v 16 the singular invocation changed to plural)

And here is the answer, plain enough, for thankfully, it is as Saint Paul tells us: “I delivered to you first of all that which I also received...” (1 Corinthians 15 v 3) the call to holiness is made by Jesus.

We are told “That God died for our sin’s according to the Scriptures,” (Cont) Your faithfulness towards us, dearest Father, evidenced.

Furthermore we know Jesus “...was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” (v 4) to remain with us forever by the blessed Eucharist.

The outcome is marvellous, thank You.

Dearest Father, thank You for the call to holiness which You make to us, for this is the route by which we live happily at peace with You now, and we look forward to an eternal future, enjoying the company of the

Trinity in heaven.

How utterly gracious You are towards us. You show Your steadfast loving kindness in allowing Your Son to live and die for us, as the perfect sacrifice which gains forgiveness for all sins.

Our Brother is our Saviour and we rejoice to learn this by personal experience, one which changes our life considerably. Strengthened by the love of Jesus and the impact of the Holy Spirit, we can respond to the call to holiness. May we ever do so! Amen.