S3 E36: Ready or Not: We Are the Body of Christ

What happens when a toddler in boots jukes his way down the church aisle during Mass? Grace. At our 8:30am Mass on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Kristyn Russell's nephew, Rigg, bolted from the pew, ran toward the altar, and narrowly escaped his father's grasp—only to be met at the church doors with smiles, laughter, and words of encouragement from the parish family instead of judgment. His dad's worry about finding a new church dissolved as people leaned in with "I remember those days" and "he's pretty quick!" This beautiful moment reveals what it truly means to be the Body of Christ: incomplete without everyone, even the swift-footed toddlers who make a break for it. Drawing on St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians and the celebration of Corpus Christi, Kristyn explores what happens when we break bread together and respond "Amen." We declare not just that the bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ, but that we ourselves are the Body of Christ—and we are sent forth to be that Body in the world. Using St. Teresa of Ávila's powerful words—"Christ has no body but yours"—we're reminded that the only thing standing between us and being the living, breathing Body of Christ in the world are the things that separate us from God and each other. So today, with or without boots, we're invited to go be beacons of peace, justice, joy, and love.

See his breakaway here: https://www.youtube.com/live/fJGT1WwF1Pg?si=4hZy13RI87Xjk2Tm&t=3952 

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Kristyn is a Midland native who attended St. Brigid Catholic School before heading to Jefferson and Dow High School. She holds a Master’s degree in Theology from Villanova University and in Strategic Communication from Michigan State University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theology with a minor in Communication from Aquinas College. When she’s not at work, she’s usually with her dog, Caspian, kayaking a new river, hiking through the woods, or sitting by a campfire reading a book.