The Roman Martyrology states that “At Palermo, the birthday of St Rosalia, Virgin, a native of that City, issued from the Royal blood of Charlemagne. For the love of Christ, she forsook the princely Court of her father and led a heavenly life alone in the mountains and caverns.”
On the cave wall she wrote “I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of [Monte] delle Rose and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ.”
My brothers and sisters, let us always participate prayerfully and actively in the celebration of the Eucharist because true and authentic participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, identifies us with Jesus’s Heart, sustains our strength along the pilgrimage of this life, makes us long for eternal life, and unites us even now to the Church in heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints.
Today let us give thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Eucharist by appreciating and showing gratitude to Him for feeding and strengthening us with His Most Precious Body and Blood. Let us respect, acknowledge and honor the real presence of Christ when we worship and adore Him in the Most Holy Eucharist. Lastly, let us renew our faith in God and deepen our relationship with Him so that we can sincerely and truthfully witness to Him in our world today.
So what are we called to do as Catholic Christians by this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ we are celebrating today? We are called to: (a) acknowledge and honor the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist; (b) to thank God for remaining with us through the gift of His Son in the Eucharist; and, (c) to be grateful to God for feeding and strengthening us with the Body and Blood of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
