My parish pastor recently reminded me one day during the Sacrament of Reconciliation the humbling reality that Jesus chose the basic elements of bread and wine to bless…draw us to…sanctify us through…
I found myself pondering the reality that if bread and wine are not carefully preserved they lose their flavor. Bread becomes dry and wine sours. So too, can our souls and the spirit of our spiritual family if they are not properly sealed and preserved.
Without committed prayer, the sacraments and spiritual direction our souls can grow stale dry out and crumble into many pieces leaving us fragmented and scattered. Without preservation of our Charism, the living out of heroic charity, team life, mercy towards others and the daily embracing of the mission, our experience within the spiritual family can become soured.
It is obvious bad wine ruins even the most elegant of banquets. What is less obvious is that without a well-trained palate, one will not detect and appreciate the subtle nuances in a fine wine nor admire both the Giver of the grape or the craftsmanship of the Wine Maker.
Further reflection posed the question, am I doing everything I can to preserve my soul and the souls of my spiritual family so that each individual encountered through our mission can be brought to the table and nourished with the finest bread and appreciate the choicest wine?
