Today is Holy Thursday, and I was blessed to have a beautiful conversation with a friend about Christ's presence in the Eucharist. She was talking about a discussion she's been having with several other people about this topic. The direction of their questions and comments has turned scientific - talk of molecules of bread changing in to molecules of Body, etc. This is, of course, wrong in so many ways and robs the Eucharist of it's true Meaning. If someone were to ask who I am, and I reply with statistics like 5'9", red hair, blue eyes... does that answer their question? No - it only tells them some tiny and fairly insignificant details about me. I am so much more than the atoms that make up my physical body, and so is the Eucharist - infinitely so. Jesus Christ is truly present in the Eucharist - truly present not just physically. He comes to us in a completeness that is unique to God alone. He gives His whole self to us, His entire Being - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. I am so grateful.
The significance of this reality in the life of a Catholic is HUGE. Because if Christ were only present physically in the Eucharist, He would only be nourishing my body when I receive Him. I would get a little protein, some carbs, maybe a few vitamins and minerals - and that would be all. The Mass would be reduced to an elaborate cocktail party with the purpose of serving a very special horderve. Thanks be to God, it is infinitely more. Jesus is fully present to each individual and to all of His Church and to all creation in the Eucharist. And so He fully feeds us - our whole person. He doesn't just say, "Sara looks hungry, she needs a snack." He says, "Sara's soul is tired and weighed down by sin, it needs my Refreshment and Trasformation. My Church's soul is struggling, it needs my Strength and Direction. Creation's soul is suffering and dieing, it needs the Life of my Resurrection." The whole person, the very Self, of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, is present to my whole person and to the whole world is this most Holy Sacrament that we remember in such a profound way on Holy Thursday.
The significance of this reality in the life of a Catholic is HUGE. Because if Christ were only present physically in the Eucharist, He would only be nourishing my body when I receive Him. I would get a little protein, some carbs, maybe a few vitamins and minerals - and that would be all. The Mass would be reduced to an elaborate cocktail party with the purpose of serving a very special horderve. Thanks be to God, it is infinitely more. Jesus is fully present to each individual and to all of His Church and to all creation in the Eucharist. And so He fully feeds us - our whole person. He doesn't just say, "Sara looks hungry, she needs a snack." He says, "Sara's soul is tired and weighed down by sin, it needs my Refreshment and Trasformation. My Church's soul is struggling, it needs my Strength and Direction. Creation's soul is suffering and dieing, it needs the Life of my Resurrection." The whole person, the very Self, of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, is present to my whole person and to the whole world is this most Holy Sacrament that we remember in such a profound way on Holy Thursday.
No comments:
Post a Comment