Have you ever received gifts? (Not force) What kind of gifts?
How do you feel about the gifts?
You are to offer somebody a gift, what is your concern about the gift? How do you think the gift should be?
- Human beings, we are weak, not strong in faith, doubting in many things, we need something practical that can be touched by hands, tasted by
tongue and felt by senses. That means it can bring some feelings.
- Lord, God understands us very well, that is why He gives himself to us, being in the form of bread and wine so that we can touch, taste, and feel Him when we take. Moreover, when we eat Jesus, He is in us, we are in Him. We become part of Him. So that our faith will be strengthened, we will not be distress, despaired and lost.
2. The gift can remind receiver of the giver.
* Common question when you are back from a journey:
- What do you bring for me?
- I brought u a gift weighted 50 kg, do you want it? (my answer).
- Yes. Where is it?
- Here you are, take it (pointing at myself).
- But your gift cannot be eaten (laughing).
Dear Srs and Brs, there is one person who gave himself to us and we can eat Him. Jesus gave himself to us to eat, to remember Him, to remember that He loves us so much that He died on the cross for us. That is the greatest love. Because "There is no greater love than of the one who lays down his life for his friend"! So when we celebrate the Eucharist and eat Jesus, remember that He loves us very much that He gave up his life for us.
(There was a young and very beautiful girl (Triều Anh) who fell in love with a gentle man who also loved her very much. The girl wanted him to stay with her for ever on the beautiful mountain where they met but the man was eager to serve the country which was in danger. He was the best fighter in the country, so the destiny of the country was in his hands. He failed to tell her what he wanted to do because she was born and grown up on that far mountain and she never knew what a country meant.)
He left her and she felt so bad that she hated men and thought every man was the same. 'They all are unfaithful, lying, deceiving women'. So she decided to build a very splendid monastery, like a palace. She called it "old tomb" (Cổ Mộ) because she buried her love there. She gathered virgin girls, teaching them that 'all men are the same, they are bad, untrustful, unfaithful lovers, keep distance from them.' Many came and joined her.
They had very strict rules. All had to swear not love any man nor get married, they should stay in the monastery for life, not going anywhere.
However, there is an exception that if there is any man ready to die for any of them, the person would be freed from the oath. She can follow the man, love him and marry him.
Sisters and brothers,
* There is one man ready to die for you. That man is Jesus Christ. Follow Him, love Him, marry Him! (2) So when we celebrate the Eucharist and receive communion, remember that "there is a man ready to die for us. Follow Him, love Him! (2)
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