A moment of special inspiration and grace from Deacon John’s Homily Sunday last, ‘The Feast of Corpus Christi’.
Apollo 11 landed on the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Most people remember astronaut Neil Armstrong’s first words as he stepped onto the moon’s surface: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. But few know about the first meal eaten on the moon. Buzz Aldrin, the NASA Astronaut had taken aboard the spacecraft a tiny pyx provided by his Catholic priest. Aldrin sent a radio broadcast to Earth asking listeners to contemplate the events of the day and give thanks. Then, blacking out the broadcast for privacy, Aldrin read, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit”. Then, silently, he gave thanks for their successful journey to the moon and received Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, surrendering moon to Jesus. Next, he descended on the surface of the moon and walked on it with Neil Armstrong. Aldrin’s actions remind us that in the Lord’s Supper, God’s children can share the life of Jesus from any place on Earth, even from the moon. God is everywhere, and our worship should reflect this reality. Buzz Aldrin celebrated that experience on the surface of the moon. Thousands of miles from earth, he took time to commune with the One who created, redeemed, and established fellowship with him.
A very updated, well fit for purpose replacement for the Corpus Christi procession was our sponsored walk with our shared beneficiary, Foodbank. The great turn out from the candidates for confirmation which takes place this Sunday at Arundel Cathedral was their energy and gift for life. A new generation for our future is required.