De Piro Reflections: Body and Blood of Christ

Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a; Psalm 147:12-13,14-15,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58.

Reflection:

This Sunday we are invited to meditate on the mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ. Before giving himself up for us on the cross, Jesus gave himself up for us at the Last Supper. He gave himself as food and drink, nourishment for our pilgrim journey. Jesus’ body was broken on the cross; it is broken again each time we eat and drink of his Body and Blood.

Jesus invites us on a journey of love. In Jesus God became human to reveal himself to us, he invites us to participate in this journey of love to share in the divine life. The Eucharist maintains us as we undertake this journey.

Joseph De Piro travelled this journey, getting to know Jesus more intimately. In the Further Readings section, we can find a list of moments that reflect this journey. 

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Further Readings:

AgeDocumentContents and comments
14The drawing of the face of Jesus.The suffering Jesus, the one who evangelised through his silence, and the one who remained strong in his weakness.While young Joseph reflects on the suffering of Jesus, he does not involve himself directly. He is only expressing his personal experience of Jesus.
20The discernment exercise De Piro carried out before he left the law course and started studying for the priesthood.Joseph again presents Jesus as the one who suffers for him and adds:Jesus is suffering for him, a sinner; the sufferings of Jesus encourage him to offer himself completely to the Lord in the priesthood. 
24The discernment exercise to choose between attending the academy and follow a career as a Church diplomat or going to live at St Joseph’ Orphanage.“… Jesus chooses those who are humble… looked for me among sinners.”Jesus, the one crowned with thorns;Jesus, the one to be imitated;Jesus, the one who has suffered so much for his sake.
25-56In his sermons.the incarnate Jesus: ‘God like us;’ the suffering Jesus: God in solidarity with the poor ones; ‘God with us;’the Eucharistic Jesus: ‘God in us;’Jesus with a heart completely open for humanity: God who loves through his Son, God’s love that saves; ‘God for us.’
According to the witnesses who testified in the Diocesan Process of the Cause of Canonisation.De Piro saw Jesus in the brothers and sisters he helped.

The Eucharistic expressions De Piro used in his sermons speak of God’s love for us: 

  • “The last moment consists in the most intimate union with us ….” 
  • “… in the Eucharist he is united to each one of us ….” 
  • “…that Jesus, of Bethlehem, of Nazareth … is within you, and his heart beat is your heart beat ….” 
  • “… what Jesus does to unite himself with us ….” 
  • “… we who have our God so near to us in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar, not symbolically, not as a shadow, but in reality ….” 
  • “… as a father among his beloved children, as a shepherd among his sheep ….”
  • “… he decided to come and dwell among us….” 
  • “In the Eucharist … our heart becomes one with the heart of Jesus, his spirit becomes one with our spirit ….” 
  • “… Jesus within us ….” 
  • “… I am with you ….”
  • “… Jesus … is continuously eager to be united to us.”

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