August 20, 2023

Twentieth sunday of ordinary time

by Fr. Boniface Endorf, O.P

Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,

The adoration chapel continues to grow as hundreds have signed up for adoration slots. My hope is that in the coming months we’ll fill all the adoration slots and have continual prayer in the center of our city. It will be transformative for all those who chose to spend time with our Lord. Please consider signing up if you haven’t already—take part in this great mission.

On the parish end we’re beginning the planning for restarting all the ministries in the parish as the summer comes to its end. Soon RCIA and CCD will restart, so if you know anyone interested in becoming Catholic please send them to St. Joe’s—we have a great program here, and the same for any children in need of religious instruction.  

God Bless,
Fr. Boniface

Mass Tidbit:

We now start a critical part of the Eucharistic Prayer: the Epiclesis. Here the celebrant calls down the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine, saying: “Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The celebrant extends his hands over the offerings while praying this prayer and the server rings the bell one time to mark this important part of the Eucharistic Prayer. The consecration of the bread and wine, their transubstantiation (more on that word in a later tidbit) into the Body and Blood of Christ, is only possible through divine power, and so the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to make the sacrament possible.

At Mass we are taking part in a divine action. We as humans take a role in it as worshippers, but the primary actor is God Himself. We are witnessing God at work in the Mass. Let us remember to keep focused on God because His action is what brings us salvation.