Say Yes to Holiness Newsletter #370
Inspiration for the week of June 8, 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly Say Yes to Holiness newsletter—designed to help inspire, encourage and accompany you on the path towards holiness.
Greetings!
I am on the road this week to Virginia to finally lay my late husband to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Has been almost 19 months since Paul’s passing, so am thankful to finally be laying him to rest on Tuesday, June 9th. I have a feeling that I will be posting that day or the following about the experience, so if you are interested, keep an eye on the blog hosted on christinasemmens.com website. Regardless, I would be grateful for any prayers you could offer for myself and the entire family on Tuesday.
In the interim, the journey towards holiness never ceases, so let us continue onward and upward towards sanctity!
Yesterday, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). By celebrating the solemnity, the Church invites us to pause and reflect upon one of the greatest gifts Jesus has given His Church—His Real Presence in the Eucharist.
Week after week, many of us receive Holy Communion. Or we kneel before the tabernacle. Or we pass by churches where Christ waits for us in silence.
How easy it can be to become familiar with what should fill us with awe and wonder, eh?
But the saints never lost their wonder before the Blessed Sacrament. The saints remind us that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol, but Jesus Himself—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—given for our salvation.
So, this week’s Food for the Head, Heart, Hands, and Feet is crafted to help us rediscover the gift of the Eucharist and deepen our love for Jesus truly present among us as we continue on our journey toward holiness...
Food for the Head
“The Eucharist is the sacrament of love: It signifies love, it produces love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.”—St. Thomas Aquinas
Saint Thomas Aquinas, who was responsible for writing many of the hymns that help the Church celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, reminds us that the Eucharist is the culmination of everything God desires to accomplish in our lives.
Every sacrament prepares us for deeper union with Christ. Every prayer leads us toward Him. Every virtue helps us become more capable of receiving Him. But in the Eucharist, we receive not merely grace from Jesus—we receive Jesus Himself.
If we truly believed this with our whole hearts, minds and souls, how differently would we approach Mass? How differently would we prepare for Holy Communion? How differently would we spend time before the Blessed Sacrament?
Because the Eucharist is not one gift among many. It is the Gift.
This week, resolve to spend time reflecting on what you truly believe about the Eucharist and ask the Lord to increase your faith.
Food for the Heart
“If we paused for a moment to consider attentively what takes place in this Sacrament, I am sure that the thought of Christ’s love for us would transform the coldness of our hearts into a fire of love and gratitude.”—St. Angela of Foligno
How often do we rush through Mass? Or how often do we approach Holy Communion distracted by schedules, worries, frustrations, and responsibilities?
Yet Saint Angela invites us to pause.
The Eucharist is the greatest expression of Christ’s love for us. And at every Mass, Jesus gives Himself completely. He holds nothing back. The same Jesus who healed the sick, forgave sinners, and died upon the Cross comes to us in Holy Communion!
How amazing and awesome is that?!
If we truly spend time and reflect on this reality, gratitude will naturally follow.
Our cold (or jaded, or discouraged, or saddened) hearts become filled with warmth, hope, encouragement, and joy. Our indifference will become devotion. Routine will become encounter.
And our hearts will be on fire with love of the One who is Love.
This week, before (or after) receiving Holy Communion, resolve to spend at least one minute quietly thanking Jesus for His gift of Himself.
Food for the Hands
“To speak of the Blessed Sacrament is to speak of what is most sacred... He is ever there, waiting to help us.”—St. Euphrasia
One of the simplest and most powerful things we can do is visit Jesus.
How often do we bring our concerns to family, friends, coworkers, counselors, or mentors? But how often do we bring them to Christ first in the Blessed Sacrament?
Jesus is waiting for us in every tabernacle.
He is waiting not to condemn us, but rather to strengthen us. He has no wish to burden us, rather He desires to give us rest. And He longs for us to draw us closer—and to bring others with us.
Jesus is the greatest gift we can give to others, and the easiest way to give Him to others is to bring them to Him in the Blessed Sacrament where He can work in their minds and hearts and transform them and by so doing, transform their lives.
The saints understood that any time spent with Jesus in the Eucharist changes us. We need to live out this belief by spending time before the Lord in Adoration and also bring others to spend time with Him, too.
This week, resolve to make a visit to a church outside of Mass and spend at least fifteen minutes with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Food for the Feet
“O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble himself like this and hide under the form of a little bread, for our salvation.”—St. Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis was overwhelmed by the humility of God, and the reality that the Creator of the universe chose to become small.
And the King of Kings allows Himself to be hidden beneath the appearance of bread—every single day!
In this way, the Almighty can be approached by His creatures—you and me.
So, if Christ humbles Himself so completely for us, then aren’t we called to imitate that humility in our daily lives, too?
The Eucharist gives us the strength and courage necessary to go forth not only to adore Christ, but to become like Him.
Humility, service, patience, forgiveness, generosity—these are the fruits that should flow from our worthy reception of Jesus in Holy Communion, and these are the fruits which we should strive to share with each person whom we encounter every day.
This week, resolve to intentionally perform one hidden act of charity without seeking recognition or praise.
Exhortation
“Since Christ himself has said, ‘This is my Body,’ who shall dare to doubt that it is his Body?”—St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Corpus Christi is ultimately a feast of faith.
Saint Cyril reminds us of this and challenges us to renew our faith in the One who proclaimed “This is my Body.” We do not gather because we fully understand the mystery. We gather because we trust the One who made the promise.
Remember, Jesus did not say, “This represents my body.” He said, “This is my Body.”
The saints believed those words, drew strength from those words, and built their lives upon those words. We need to do the same.
Just as they became holy because they encountered Christ in the Eucharist again and again, so can we.
For the same invitation is extended to us.
Come to Mass.
Come to Adoration.
Come to the tabernacle.
Come to Jesus.
SAY YES to that invitation and use this week as an opportunity for you to renew your faith in the Real Presence and to fall more deeply in love with the One who gives Himself completely to you in the Eucharist.
May you be given whatever graces you need to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to come and encounter Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and allow Him to transform your life, so that together we can tell the Master of death, “Not today!”
Know of my prayers for each of you, and God bless.
All the best,
Christina
PS—Go check out my new book, Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Below are the Latest Happenings In the Say Yes to Holiness Community!
Check out my christinasemmens.com website.
The website is where I blog, so you can find out the latest by checking out the website. ALSO, if you would like to work with me or talk about spiritual direction, make sure to sign up for a FREE consultation. Looking forward to hearing from you!
The latest Say Yes to Holiness Online Retreat is still available!
This retreat saw us read the spiritual classic, Rooting Out Hidden Faults: How the Particular Examen Conquers Sin by Father James McElhone, CSC. If you are interested, simply go to the Say Yes to Holiness podcast (plus, you can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple) or watch the episodes on the Say Yes to Holiness YouTube channel.
Finally, if you would like to make a donation in support of the work associated with this endeavor, you can click the link below.
Latest Post on the Women of the New Evangelization (WINE) blog:
Mercy, Peace and Exultation (April 12)
Harden Not Our Hearts (Mar 9)
Do Not Be Terrified (Nov 16)
Gaining Wisdom of Heart (Sept 9)
Guest appearance on the Equipcast Podcast:
"When God Asks, How Do You Answer?: The Power of 'Yes' with Christina Semmens
Article on Catholic365.com Platform:
We Are All Eucharistic Missionaires!
Latest episode of the Say Yes to Holiness podcast...
Episode #262
“Hope Springs Eternal”—1:1 with Paul McCusker, Senior Director Creative Content, Augustine Institute
Subscribe to the Say Yes to Holiness podcast!
You can listen to the latest episodes of the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
You can also watch the podcast on the Say Yes to Holiness YouTube channel
Click Here to Check Out All the Podcast Episodes
The Say Yes to Holiness YouTube Channel
The latest offering is available—the Lenten Book Online Retreat—”Rooting Out Hidden Faults” by Father James McElhone on YouTube—Click here to be taken to the playlist
Update from The Catholic Leadership Puzzle
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
THIS WEEK! I will be holding a Zoom Q&A to answer questions about my new book, Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time on Wednesday, June 3rd at 7pmCST.
Click here for the Zoom link to join the meeting. Also, keep sending your questions to me at: christinasemmens@gmail.com
Looking forward to seeing you there!
The book focuses upon how we each can help to create life-giving communities where we can become the holy men and women that God created us to be, and is a compilation of the work I have been sharing on The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack.
I encourage you to read the reviews below to help you determine if you should pick up a copy today…
“Christina's book is both thoughtful and practical. I appreciate the careful attention to crafting a solid plan for reinvigorating and reenergizing parish life from from the 'ground up' - in other words, she writes with wisdom and experience about starting small and engaging individuals and small groups who can then passionately spread this message like fire. Helpful resource for anyone seeking to help take their parish community to a place of deep spiritual, practical, and holy love for the Lord and for one another!”—Matthew Koscal
“This book is for anyone who wants to see their parish thrive. Whether you are a priest or lay person, read Solving the Parish Puzzle for clear guidance on taking an average parish to the next level of discipleship. What we have been doing is not working. It’s time for something new. Semmens lays the groundwork so we can put the pieces together.”—Carol Wiget
“From my perspective, the value of Solving the Parish Puzzle is that it brings much-needed clarity and integration to a space that is often fragmented. Parish leaders, ministry teams, and disciples are usually generous and committed, but not always aligned around a common mission or framework. This book provides a language and structure that helps unify efforts, ensuring that what we do is not simply activity, but intentional participation in forming missionary disciples and building communities that truly accompany people toward Christ.
As a leader, what stands out is how the book reinforces that healthy ministries do not emerge from isolated talent or charisma, but from a disciplined commitment to principles that can be learned, practiced, and replicated. By identifying the twelve “puzzle pieces,” it gives leaders a roadmap for sustainability. It shifts the focus from short-term success or programmatic growth to long-term fruitfulness rooted in evangelization, formation, relationships, and accountability. That is exactly what is needed to form leaders who can endure, multiply, and build environments where others can flourish.
What I find most compelling is the insistence on integration and the rejection of the “Christmas tree” mentality. That diagnosis is both honest and accurate. Too many of our parishes are doing a lot but not always moving in the same direction. The call to rediscover the “why,” to place everything at the service of mission, and to intentionally build communities where people are known, formed, and sent, is not only helpful but also, urgent. The Church does not need more activity. It needs greater coherence, deeper conviction, and leaders who can align people and purpose toward the work of making saints.”—Cristofer Pereyra, Chief Executive Officer, Tepeyac Leadership Initiative (TLI)
Again, I pray that you will consider purchasing a copy of the book. If you do purchase a copy, send me an email saying “I purchased your book” and I will make sure you are sent information so you can participate in a special “Zoom Q&A” about the book.
And if you already have a book, please consider posting a review on Amazon as well.
To learn more, click here: The Catholic Leadership Puzzle