June 13, 2004: To Nurture the Body of Christ

"To Nurture the Body of Christ"


Feast of Corpus Christi
June 13, 2004


I’m Father Jeff Lawrence, and it’s a special joy for me to be back at St. Paul’s. It’s been 6 years since I was here as an assistant with Fr. Doug and Fr. Tony Lee.

I know how difficult it’s been to see Fr. Doug leave after being here for 13 years. St. Paul’s was in his blood.

I remember my own last days at St. Stephen’s in Streator. With each person I saw at communion, I couldn’t help but think about the special connections we shared: I baptized that child, I married this couple, I counseled her, I buried his mother after a painful bout with cancer… and so on and so on. It’s got to have been even harder for Fr. Doug… and for you, too. I realize that I have very big shoes to fill here—so I beg you to please be patient with me!

As I’m sure you’ve heard, Fr. Doug and I only had literally 3 weeks’ notice before we both had to move to our new assignments. A week and a half ago, Fr. Doug invited me in for a parish tour and to go over a bunch of administrative details. It was kind of mind-boggling to try to take in so much all at once—so many lists and schedules and financial stuff. But as we went through a lot of information and papers, there was one thing that really jumped out at me. It was the St. Paul’s Parish mission statement: To nurture the Body of Christ. I love that! It is so short and succinct and covers it all.

Thanks to Fr. Doug and all of you, the community here is fantastic. It is so impressive and uplifting how you all work so well together in so many different ways to build up and nurture the Body of Christ. Thanks to your generosity with your time, gifts and resources, it is clear that you are truly making a difference among God’s people—especially the least of God’s people. Your kindness and outreach are destined to be exquisite jewels in your heavenly crown.

Of course, the reason for the success of your good works is that they are rooted in faith… rooted in God. Our Lord Jesus, in the famous words of the Second Vatican Council, is “the source and summit” of our Christian life. You nurture the Body of Christ, because Christ enables you to do so. Apart from God, we would merely be doing social work. With God, the blessings and graces among his people are multiplied without limit.

I think it is a beautiful coincidence that today the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi—the Body and Blood of Christ. This is a poignant reminder that Jesus must always be at the heart and center of everything we do.

Our Lord is present, as I’m sure you know, in many forms and manifestations. His power is contained in the words of Scripture we proclaim. He’s in our congregation gathered in prayer—and for that matter, whenever two or more are gathered in his name. But in the most excellent and sublime way of all, he is really and truly and physically present in the Holy Eucharist—the bread and wine that are totally changed in substance, by the power of God himself, into Jesus’ Body and Blood.

The Eucharist is not just a symbol of Christ. It is not a wafer that simply reminds us of Christ, or even that contains Christ. No; it is Christ—in all the humanity and divinity he possessed 2000 years ago when he walked on this earth. Can we understand this? Heavens, no! It’s perhaps the deepest mystery of our Catholic faith… but our faith tells us that this is more certainly true than the sun coming up tomorrow.

When this Jesus Christ, our Eucharistic Lord, is the center of parish life—when we make him #1—then we are truly poised to nurture the Body of Christ in amazing and supernaturally effective and powerful ways. There is the secret to fulfilling your mission of nurturing the Body of Christ.

My friends, I am honored and humbled that Bishop Jenky has appointed me to be your shepherd now. My prayer and desire is to serve you and nurture you and continue Fr. Doug’s vision of building up our parish community. Let us ask God the Holy Spirit to touch our hearts so we may work together lovingly, peacefully and joyously. Amen.



Today’s Readings
Genesis 14, 18–20
Psalm 110
1 Corinthians 11, 23–26
Luke 9, 11–17