This book will help parents whose children ask, "Why do I have to go to Mass?" Using understandable language and appropriate comparisons, Dr. Curran describes four "presences" of Jesus: in the community, the Word, the priest and the Eucharist. Each presence of Jesus is vital, but this Sunday I will focus on that fourth presence: Jesus in the Eucharist.
To illustrate how Jesus' presence in the Eucharist's differs from the first three, let me tell you about a conversation between two priests. The first priest was arguing that - since Vatican II - we now have to emphasize the presence of Jesus in the community. "Jesus," he said, "is not only present in the Eucharist, but in every person." The second priest said, "yes, we have to reverence each person, but can I ask a question?"
The first priest nodded and the second priest asked, "Would you worship the Eucharist?" The first said, "Yes, of course." The second priest then asked, "Would you worship me?"
Jesus is present in the priest - but I hope no one is foolish enough to worship me. And Jesus is truly present in community, but do not genuflect to each other. We do, however, worship Jesus in the Eucharist and I hope that when you approach a tabernacle, that you will genuflect. There is a difference between Jesus' presence in other human beings and his presence in the Eucharist. In the Mass - the Holy Spirit transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The bread and wine become Jesus. For that reason we worship the Blessed Sacrament.
In Monte Cassino, Italy, there is a cemetery which is famous for its many beautiful and expressive tombs. People from all-over the world come to visit this cemetery where soldiers from Italy, Poland, Canada, U.S.A, France, England, and other countries are laid. On top of these tombs are the words: "Their own bodies they gave to the Holy Soil, their hearts for their own country, but their souls they gave to God." We can write in each Tabernacle these next words: "Jesus gave all people everything He had; His own Body and Blood, His Heart and Soul, because He loved us so much.
From earliest times Christians have recognized Jesus' real, substantial presence in the Eucharist. If the Eucharist meant so much to early Christians, what about us? Here at the Ascension parish, we are doing our best to have a well-kept church and beautiful music. We have a welcoming community - and I hope the homilies are not too big of a penance and long. But suppose we fell short on all that, would it not be worthwhile to come to Mass just to worship and receive the Blessed Sacrament - Jesus himself?
St. Augustine said, "No one eats this flesh unless he first adores it." I encourage you to worship Jesus when I lift up the bread and repeat Jesus' words, "This is my body." Because Eucharist is the Body of Jesus we invite the communicant to a moment of adoration before receiving. The priest holds up the host and says, "The Body of Christ." Our response of recognition or adoration is "Amen."
But the Eucharist is not only for adoration - even though that is our highest activity before God. The Eucharist is many dimensional. As the Second Vatican Council teaches us, "The Eucharist is the source and summit for the Christian life." To attend Mass not only strengthens us, it is in itself the high point of our lives as Christians. Participating in Christ's sacrifice has some important implications. Our lives joined to Jesus become an offering to God. A person can think they are so unworthy they never come forward for communion. It is an error to think you have to be a "saint" to receive the host. No, Jesus clearly came for sinners, for people like you and me. None of us, not even the pope would be worthy in the strict sense.
St. Paul calls this "receiving the body and blood of Jesus unworthily" “whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of Christ.” To receive the Eucharist without sanctifying grace in your soul profanes the Eucharist in the most grievous manner. As your pastor I need to remind you that: 1. A person who is aware of a grave sin is not to receive the body and blood of the Lord without first going to confession.
2. You must believe in the real presence that the bread and wine are transformed into the actual Body and Blood of Christ during the consecration.
3. After you receive Holy Communion, it is necessary to thank Jesus for coming to you. It is not acceptable to receive Holy Communion and leave the church immediately. Finally we need to reverence Christ in the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit in other people, and the Presence of God in all of His creation. We've lost reverence for the presence of God in our world, in the trees and natural resources, in nature's pure waters, in animals, in all of God's creatures. We regard them today merely as useful, as things to exploit for profit. We've lost reverence for them.
So, to return to our original question: Why do I have to go to Mass? The answer is simple: To worship and to receive Jesus - as Lord and Saviour. Remember your purpose in this life. Not to earn a million dollars or to make a name for yourself. Those things are fine, but they will vanish like smoke. Your purpose and mine is this - to know, love and serve God in this life and to be happy with him forever in heaven. That means worship. Here on earth the object of our worship is the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus himself.
The Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus are at the heart of our Church, the heart of our lives as Christians. It is the most powerful language Jesus can speak to us - the language of his very Body. Let us today give thanks to God for so great a gift. That, I think, is what Corpus Christi is all about. Amen
