Sacred Heart & Saint Lucy's Cumbernauld

08/09/2026

Tuesday week 23 -The Birth of Our Lady

08/09/2026

✝️ WHY DOES THE PRIEST PUT A SMALL PIECE OF THE HOST INTO THE CHALICE? 😳🍷

During the Communion Rite, after breaking the consecrated Host, the priest takes a small piece of the Host and places it into the Chalice while saying quietly:

“May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.”

But why?

✝️ 1. IT IS NOT BECAUSE JESUS IS “SPLIT” BETWEEN THE HOST AND CHALICE

Catholic faith teaches that Christ is fully present under the appearance of bread and fully present under the appearance of wine.

The Host is not merely Jesus' body without His Blood, nor is the Chalice merely His blood without His Body.

Christ is wholly present under each species.

So this action is not putting something into the Chalice that was missing from it.

✝️ 2. IT POINTS TO THE UNITY OF CHRIST

The small piece of the consecrated Host placed into the Chalice expresses the unity of the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Eucharist is not ultimately about receiving a dead body separated into pieces.

We receive the living and risen Christ—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

The gesture visually expresses that unity.

✝️ 3. IT ALSO HAS AN ANCIENT LITURGICAL HISTORY

This gesture is connected with very ancient Christian Eucharistic practice.

In the early Church, a portion of the Eucharistic Bread from the bishop's celebration could be sent to other churches and placed into their Eucharistic Chalice. This was called the fermentum and expressed communion among the churches and their bishops.

Over time, the practice developed into the small Host-fragment placed into the Chalice during Mass.

So what looks like a tiny gesture today has a deep history of Eucharistic communion and unity.

✝️ 4. LOOK AT WHAT THE PRIEST SAYS

The prayer gives us the key:

“May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.”

Notice the words:

Body + Blood → eternal life.

The priest is directing our attention toward the Eucharist as the sacramental participation in Christ, who died and rose again.

✝️ 5. THERE IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL HAPPENING HERE

The priest doesn't stop the Mass to give a long explanation.

He simply takes a tiny fragment of the Host...
..and places it into the Chalice.

But that tiny movement silently proclaims something enormous:

Christ is one.
His Eucharistic presence is one.
His sacrifice is one.
His risen life is one.

And then we approach the altar to receive Him.

That tiny piece of the Host is not an insignificant detail. It is a little gesture carrying centuries of Eucharistic faith.

07/09/2026

07/09/2026

✝️ 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗗𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗟?

Have you ever noticed what Catholics do when the Gospel is about to be proclaimed?

The priest or deacon announces:

“ A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.”

And the people respond:

“Glory to You, O Lord.”

Then many Catholics make a small Sign of the Cross on their forehead, lips, and heart.

But why?

And what exactly does this gesture mean?

✝️ 𝟭. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗

We make a small cross on our forehead.

This expresses the desire that God’s Word may enter our minds.

We are saying, in effect:

“Lord, let me understand Your Word.”

The Gospel is not merely something to hear passively.

It is something to understand, contemplate, and allow to shape our thinking.

St. Paul says:

“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

The gesture reminds us that the Gospel should transform the way we think.

✝️ 𝟮. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗦

We then make a small cross on our lips.

This expresses our desire that God’s Word may be proclaimed with our speech.

We are saying:

“Lord, let me proclaim Your Word.”

The Gospel should not remain locked inside the church.

If Christ has spoken to us, we are called to carry His message into our homes, workplaces, schools, friendships, and communities.

Our lips should not only speak about ordinary things.

They should also be instruments of truth, charity, encouragement, and witness.

✝️ 𝟯. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗧

Finally, we make a small cross over our heart.

This expresses the desire that God's Word may take root within us.

We are saying:

“Lord, let me keep Your Word in my heart and live it.”

It is not enough to understand Scripture.

It is not enough to speak about Scripture.

We must allow the Word of God to transform our hearts and our lives.

Jesus said:

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” — Luke 11:28

✝️ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛

Notice the beautiful progression:

𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗 — 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗

𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗦 — 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦

𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧 — 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘

We ask God to help us understand His Word, proclaim His Word, and live His Word.

The gesture itself is not a magical act.

It is a prayer expressed through the body.

And it prepares us to listen attentively to Christ speaking through the Gospel.

So the next time the Gospel is proclaimed, don't make the three little crosses mechanically.

Make them prayerfully.

As you touch your forehead, ask:

“Lord, open my mind to Your Word.”

As you touch your lips:

“Lord, help me proclaim Your Word.”

As you touch your heart:

“Lord, let Your Word remain in my heart and transform my life.”

Then listen.

Because the Gospel is not merely an ancient story.

It is the living Word proclaimed to the Church today.

✝️ 𝗦𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬

“Lord Jesus, open my mind to understand Your Word, my lips to proclaim it, and my heart to receive it and live it. Amen.”

Ignatius Catholicum ✍️✝️

07/09/2026

Monday week 23

06/09/2026

Sunday week 23

06/09/2026

04/09/2026

Apologies no live streaming I forgot to press the button

03/09/2026

Thursday week 22- Saint Gregory the Great