Each time I celebrate the mass I break the bread, Jesus, as we remember the Lamb of God who takes away all the sins of the world.  Jesus is broken for you and me.  His crucifier's break his body.  They break his bones, whip his flesh to a bloody pulp, pierce his head with thorns, and drive nails through his flesh and bones. Breathing is labored because his legs are broken and he cannot push himself up to get a good air exchange.  The oxygen necessary for life is being taken away.  Gasping for oxygen, we can only begin to imagine the excruciating pain Jesus endures as his life in blood spills to the ground.
 
Like a dish he is broken but so much more than a dish.  A dish does not feel.  Can you imagine the physical pain Jesus is going through as they beat him to smithereens?  What about all the emotional pain of all the sin for all time heaped on top of that?  The full force of hell, all that is opposed to Jesus comes at him in his extreme physical brokenness, attempting to defeat the redemption he is offering through his body.
 
Brothers and sisters, don’t you ever go through the motions at this part of mass again!  When we pray out, “Lamb of God, you take ways the sins of the world. Have Mercy on us.  Lamb of God, you take ways the sins of the world. Have Mercy on us.  Lamb of God, you take ways the sins of the world. Grant us peace.” know whose presence you are in and what they are doing for you out of love for you!  It is Jesus- his body, his blood- his everything- broken for you!  It is not a cracker, it is not a cookie, it is not a small piece of bread.  It is the Lamb of God who takes away all your sins and every sin of all time.
 
Pray to feel the brokenness of Jesus when the priest breaks the host at mass just before communion.  Pray to begin to know the love behind physical and emotional brokenness Jesus took on for you and me.  There are many times when I want to cry when I break the body of Jesus in mass.
 
Let us pray: “Broken Jesus, help me to know how much it cost you to die for me.  And in that knowing, let me see how much you really do love me and care about me.  I guess I probably will really never know how much it cost, but help me to know more and more.  Do not let me be asleep or deaf or dumb or blind to your brokenness for me.  When the priest breaks the host at mass please let me experience the mystery of your love.  In your brokenness, you take on all the brokenness of the world and make it whole.  Make me whole, Jesus, in my own brokenness.  Amen. “

Blessed by the BEST- all the time,
+Fr. John