St. Emile roman
catholic  church

Jesus, Lamb of God

“Lamb of God.'”  We use that term so often, that it is easy for us to overlook the deep theology and the unfathomable love of our God contained in His sending His Son to be the Lamb. ... He is wounded for our sins, bruised for our iniquities.  He has taken upon himself the chastisement that makes us whole.  That is what John the Baptist meant when he said, 'Look, there is the Lamb of God.'”

Read more of Msgr. Joseph A. Pellegrino's reflections on this Sunday's gospel.

The Supper of the Lamb

"The Holy Eucharist is the sacramental renewal, the making present under signs of bread and wine, of the sacrificial death of Jesus, the Lamb of God, by whose blood we are delivered from sin and death.  The Holy Eucharist is the Supper of the Lamb, the Holy Communion in which Jesus feeds us with his own eternal life and gives us in our very flesh the first payment of everlasting life."

Read more of What is the Holy Eucharist? from Fr. Jerome Esper, C.S.C. at Catholic Mission Leaflets.

What is Holiness?

"Some believe to be holy you have to run away from the world.  Others think you have to be in church on your knees praying all day.  Still others believe to be holy you have to walk around with a halo, that you’re not allowed to smile, or have any fun, or enjoy yourself at all.  They think to be holy you have to despise everything of this world and walk around with a long, drawn-out stoic look on your face.

These are all the very unnatural and unattractive ideas ..."

Read more of What does it mean to be holy? Is that even possible? from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Light to the Nations

"We have just emerged from Christmastide with its great feasts of Nativity, Epiphany and Baptism.  We have seen Jesus revealed to his own people -- Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, Simeon, Anna.  We have seen Jesus revealed to foreigners and outsiders -- the magi who followed their understanding to find their way to him.  Those of us who believe have seen his glory as the only Son from the Father.  We have, therefore, a responsibility to be 'phosphorescent'.  We are called to be 'carriers of light', signs and instruments of the light and love which the Lamb of God has brought into the world."

Read more of Lumen Gentium - The Light of Nations from Fr. Vivian Boland, O.P., at Torch.