There is probably no Sunday in the Calendar with more names than today. Long before Blessed John Paul II added Divine Mercy Sunday it was the Second Sunday of Easter, the Octave of Easter, White Sunday, Thomas Sunday,and Quasi Modo Sunday.
The name quasi modo we only associate with the character from the Hunch Back of Notre Dame. In fact, in the novel the Archdeacon who finds him names him for the Entrance Antiphon for the Sunday on which he is found, today. That antiphon remains in the missal even today. It is 1 Peter 2:2
like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation
We are reminded in this Easter season that while it is true that in baptism we are given a new life in Christ, that new life like any new life must grow, and in order to grow it must be fed.
With what do you feed you soul each day?
I will freely admit I used to be a news junkie, until I realized tv news just recycles the sakes stories all day. Most of what's out there could at best be seen as spiritual junk food.
We have to start by recognizing that everything we read, watch, or listen to is in some way "soul food." It leaves an imprint on our soul, and so we should make conscious choices. Is it ok to have a little junk food now and then? Sure.
But what way to many of us do is consume a steady diet of junk all week and then think we can make up for it with one meal at the table of the Lord on Sunday. That would be like going to the weight watchers meeting every week, and not doing anything else, and saying "I go to weight watcher every week, but do understand why I'm not loosing weight."
Our new life in Christ, "our salvation", as St. Peter puts it is something we have to grow into, and we only grow into with a proper diet, what he calls "pure spiritual milk": the scriptures, prayer, spiritual reading, and the sacraments.
This week I encourage you to pay attention to what you consume. You may be surprised at how unbalanced your diet is.
