"Come together in common, one and all without exception in charity, in one faith and in one Jesus Christ, who is of the race of David according to the flesh, the son of man, and the Son of God, so that with undivided mind you may obey the bishop and the priests, and break one Bread which is the medicine of immortality and the antidote against death, enabling us to live forever in Jesus Christ."

- Saint Ignatius' Letter to the Ephesians, paragraph 20, written c. A.D. 80-110

“Take note of those who hold heterodox [heretical] opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. . . . They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes”

- Saint Ignatius' Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2-7:1, written c. A.D. 110

St. Ignatius became the third bishop of Antioch, succeeding St. Evodius, who was the immediate successor of St. Peter. He was a first hand witness of Christ as a child, heard St. John preach when he was a boy, and later became a disciple to him, he was a close friend of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who also was a direct student of Saint John the Evangelist. Seven of his letters written to various Christian communities have been preserved. Eventually, he received the martyr's crown as he was thrown to wild beasts in the arena. He was both a first hand witness of Christ, as well as a direct successor of the Apostles and Apostolic Fathers. His testimony about the Church and the faith are powerful. It is because of the many who took exception to his teachings, who wanted to disprove his existence, or invalidate his writings, that we actually have so much of his work. The more they dug, the more they authenticated his work.

Corpus Christi is another Western, fairly modern, feast, and we unapologetically adore it. It is the celebration of the Real Presence of the Body of Christ in the world. It is a feast of His glorious body, both literal in the Eucharist, and figurative in the Church. I'm not sure if we will be having a procession today, but that is one of my favorite things we do on this day. You have the people, who are symbolically the Body of Christ on earth, displaying, proclaiming and celebrating the Eucharist, which is actually the Body of Christ on earth. We pray and sing hymns and proclaim in word and action that Christ is alive and here with us. He offers Himself in the Eucharist as a gift to us, a medicine for sin and for our salvation. Glory to God!

It is airshow week and incredibly busy. We also have a day full for our family trial and are hoping for excellent news. Please pray fervently, especially Wednesday and Thursday.

• Sunday - Feast of Corpus Christi
  Breakfast: Corned Beef Hash with Fried Eggs, Sliced Oranges, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Gnocchi with Red Sauce and Chicken, Salads/Sides/Bread/Dessert brought by Parishioners
• Monday - Feast of Saint Justin Martyr
  Breakfast: Toast with Labneh, Za’atar and Olive Oil, Apples, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Enfrijoladas, Cuban Rice, Cuban Lime Cookies
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Cheese Zombies, Tomato Soup with Bacon Crumbles, Orange Rum Cake
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Oranges, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Tomato and Olive Pasta, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwiches, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Mediterranean Chicken Salad, Fruit Salad
• Friday - Feast of Saint Boniface
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Oranges, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Roasted Vegetable Laffa, Toum and Taratoor, Sliced Oranges
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes and Syrup, Sausages, Fruit Cups, Orange Juice, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Grilled Burgers and Hot Dogs, Chips, Coleslaw, Cookies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Corpus Christi, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen