Bishop prepares hearts and minds for the 2022 Eucharistic Congress

Deepening the real presence of Jesus among us through the Eucharist and the Word was the task proposed by Bishop Michael Mulvey during the second of three talks, in preparation for the June 24-25 Eucharistic Congress 2022. Bishop Michael Mulvey delivered the second of three talks, Eucharist and the Word, to 150 participants at St. Joseph Parish Hall in Alice, Jan. 29.

Preceding Talk II, Bishop Mulvey celebrated Mass which set the tone for the presentation. During his homily, Bishop Mulvey spoke on the real presence of God in holy Scriptures, saying when God speaks, He is speaking to us in the present. His messages lead us to recognize the truth in ourselves.

He used the day’s readings from the Second Book of Samuel and the Gospel reading from Mark. He said, “Whether it’s the way David handled his life and his untruths, or the way the disciples responded in the boat with fear. Jesus is always there. And that’s the truth of our life.”

“Truth is a person. And if there’s any wake-up call for the Church today or any wake-up call for us as disciples of Jesus is that the truth is a person. And the more we know the person, the more truth reigns in our lives,” Bishop Mulvey said. “The more that truth reigns in our lives, the more we understand who we are and who God has created us to be.”

He said, “Jesus is the reality today. The Gospel is not something I read and forget—it’s real to me—very real. My purpose is to put the Word of God and the Eucharist as complimentary invitations —realities to encounter the person of Jesus Christ. The person of Jesus in the boat with the waves and the danger—that’s real. The Eucharist —is the greatest act of love,” he added.

“In the Vatican document Dei Verbum 21. The Church has always venerated the divine scriptures just as it benefits from the body of the Lord. since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God’s Word and of Christ’s body,” Bishop Mulvey said. “We venerate both.”

The talk included a handout of Bible references of liturgical texts and rites adhered to during the celebration of Mass and other Christian liturgies.
Attendees included 20 youth from “Connect” Holy Family Parish, Corpus Christi, deacon candidates and their wives, parishioners from throughout the diocese, and two youth visiting from San Antonio and Houston.

After the talk, attendees divided up in small group discussions on questions relating to the talk: How could we make sure that the Word of God does not slip out of our hearts? How is God’s love manifested in our hearts by words, deeds and actions? How can you spend time each day with the Word of God?

The third Preliminary Talk will be on Mar. 26 at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Beeville