With the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ, we have an opportunity to reflect once again upon the great gift that is given to us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. As Catholics we are a Eucharistic community. This has several important implications on the parochial level.
One implication centers on faith. What exactly do we believe when we say that we receive the Body and the Blood of Christ at Mass? We believe that the bread and wine brought up in the offertory of the Mass becomes the Body and the Blood of Christ, not just a sign or a symbol but truly the Body and Blood of Christ. “Since the Middle Ages, the change of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ has been called ‘transubstantiation.’ This means that the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. The appearances of bread and wine remain (color, shape, weight, chemical composition), but the underlying reality — that is, the substance — is now the Body and Blood of Christ” (United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, p. 223).
This occurs through the invocation of the Holy Spirit. We ask the Holy Spirit to come upon these gifts so that they may become the Body and Blood of Christ. Through the words of consecration that Jesus gave to the Church at the Last Supper, the substance of bread and wine is changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. Just as Jesus gave Himself to us in the sacrifice of the Cross, Jesus gives Himself to us each time we celebrate Mass. Thus the Mass is an action. It is God’s action on our behalf. The Mass is not a thing and it is not entertainment. It is the self-giving of God in love.
Following from this, our presence at Mass is not passive but active. The very action of giving on the part of God requires our response. This is the basis of active participation at Mass. This primarily involves worship and thanksgiving. Therefore, it is essential that we come to Mass with an open mind and a hunger for Christ. In our society we are increasingly subject to sound bites, which limit our attention span. We live in an age of technology where we are often passive and expect to be entertained. The celebration of Mass is very different from these cultural experiences. The Eucharist is an event of God’s love for us and our response in praise and gratitude. If we say we get nothing out of the Mass, we might want to ask what we bring to the experience. Most disappointments in life are the result of expectations. If you come to Mass to be entertained, you will be disappointed. If the priest thinks he is there to entertain you, he is not doing his job. If banter about baseball is a staple of your Sunday experience, something is seriously amiss.
The center of the Mass is not the priest. The center of the Mass is not the community. The center of the Mass is Christ. This needs to be said in the present cultural context where there is a preoccupation with self and where community becomes a mutual admiration society. This can seep into our experience of Church and of liturgy and it does not serve us well. We are good and we should affirm one another’s goodness. But we are also sinners in need of redemption through Jesus Christ.
Christ is the center of the community, not the assembly. What God is doing for us in the Eucharist is more important than what we think we are doing for God. The church building is not a community hall. It is the sacred space where God is present in a unique way. Any discussion about talking in church needs to be held in this context. We need to recapture a sense of the sacred and of the centrality of Christ in Church and in the Eucharist.
This leads to another matter, namely, the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. “The Real Presence of Jesus Christ endures in the consecrated elements even after the Mass is ended. Once Communion has been distributed, any remaining hosts are placed in the tabernacle. If any of the Precious Blood remains, it is reverently consumed. The hosts are reserved to provide Communion for the sick, Viaticum (Communion for the dying), and to allow the faithful to worship Christ in the reserved Sacrament and to pray in his presence” (United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, p. 223).
There is a renewed sense of the value of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in our Church today. This is a very important development and a very valuable practice. Increasingly in our society and in the rhythm of our lives, we can benefit from time spent with Christ. There is no need for us to choose one presence of Christ over another. Yes, Jesus is present in nature. Yes, Jesus is present in other people. Yes, Jesus is present in the Word of God. But Jesus is also present in the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, a few moments of quiet prayer before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, can be a great source of grace and peace for us.
The Eucharist is the most precious gift God has given us since Jesus Christ walked this earth. Let us value the gift and share the love.
May the Lord give you peace.