The sacrament that you receive is effected by the words of Christ

On Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a scripture passage from the second book of Kings (2:1-15) entitled "The assumption of Elijah". Our treasure, which follows, is from the beginning of the treatise On the Mysteries by Saint Ambrose, bishop. Saint Ambrose (c. 340–397) was one of the greatest bishops and teachers in the history of the Catholic Church. As Bishop of Milan, he courageously defended the independence of the Church from political rulers, preached with exceptional wisdom, and cared deeply for the poor and those in need. A gifted theologian and biblical teacher, he helped explain the doctrines of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the sacraments, and Christian moral living, especially through his clear interpretation of Sacred Scripture. On the Mysteries is a brief work written by Saint Ambrose around AD 387 for newly baptized Christians after Easter. He wrote it to explain the deeper meaning of the sacraments they had just received. Ambrose teaches that Baptism gives new life, Confirmation strengthens believers with the Holy Spirit, and the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Rooted in Scripture, the work shows that God uses visible signs to communicate invisible grace and remains an important witness to the Catholic Church's earliest sacramental teaching. The essential message of our "treasure" today entitled "The Sacrament That You Receive Is Effected by the Words of Christ," from On the Mysteries by Saint Ambrose, is that the Eucharist becomes the true Body and Blood of Christ through the power of Christ's own words spoken at the consecration. Saint Ambrose explains that it is not human power but the effective word of Christ—the same word that created the universe and worked countless miracles—that transforms the bread and wine into His Body and Blood. The senses continue to perceive bread and wine, but faith recognizes the deeper reality brought about by Christ's divine promise. Ambrose urges believers to receive this sacrament with unwavering faith, reverence, and gratitude, confident that in Holy Communion they truly encounter the living Christ and receive the grace to grow in holiness and eternal life. The main teaching of our first reading from the second book of Kings is that God remains faithful to His saving work by raising up new leaders and passing on His Spirit to those He calls. As the prophet Elijah is taken into heaven in a fiery chariot, his disciple Elisha receives a "double portion" of Elijah's spirit, symbolized by the prophet's mantle. Elisha's first miracle—parting the waters of the Jordan—confirms that God's power is now at work through him. The passage teaches that while God's servants come and go, His mission continues through those who faithfully respond to His call. It also foreshadows Christ's Ascension and reminds us that God equips His people with the grace and strength needed to carry on His work in every generation.