(Preface: This is the first of a series of blogs I want to do about the Eucharist - they will be snippets, not major treatises in theology.)
One of the fun things about writing a blog is picking the topic. You might not think that picking a topic is without risk. But you would be wrong!. Amazing the things that you can overlook which are important. I had two options for the topic of this blog: The Feast of Corpus Christi (which is observed this Sunday) OR National Donut Day. I have thrown caution to the wind and decided to ignore National Donut Day. I do thank God that I never developed a strong attachment to Krispy Kreme. I would weigh over 500 pounds. Choosing the Real Presence is but an important acknowledgement that I have celebrated Mass at a parish named after the Eucharist for 48 years.
Now on to the Eucharist and the Real Presence.
My views on speaking about the Eucharist and the way to present it came from a priest professor,my spiritual director, and finally a great friend. In fact, he spoke directly to the then Bishop of Paterson, Bishop Casey, to recommend that he accept me as a priest and why. He always emphasized the need to speak and write clearly and as simply as possible. To actually do so is a great gift - one which I try to display - and sometimes fail spectacularly! Often, but not always, I will look at the written text for a homily or article - and with dogged determination, I do what my friend suggested. Rip apart my draft to make it simpler and clearer. I confess that I do not do this for every homily or article, even though I should.
Here is the practical problem. The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains this passage in its glossary about Eucharist: "The ritual, sacramental action of thanksgiving to God which constitutes the principal Christian liturgical celebration of and communion in the paschal mystery of Christ. The liturgical action called the Eucharist is also traditionally known as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is one of the seven sacraments of the Church; the Holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's life."
Do you see the problem? Some of the phrases are helpful to the typical reader. Some are not. Imagine if the writing committee had used my friend's principles for clear and easily understood writing.
The theologian Gabriel Moran wrote this sentence which easily sums up the Eucharist: "The Eucharist is the Church at her best." You can do a lot in developing this thought.
How to present the "Real Presence" which can be more easily said than done? Over the years, a few authors tried it this way which I have found helpful: Jesus took bread and wine and identified himself completely with them. Sure, more development is needed to have a fuller understanding - but this does present the core of the teaching on the Real Presence.
To present some of the major truths we believe about the Eucharist:
This is the Body and Blood of Christ. The bread and wine, once consecrated at Mass, remains the Body and Blood of Christ. It does not stop being the Body of Christ. This is the reason why the Eucharist is treated with respect, with reverence during Mass and also after the Mass.
I could just keep typing and render a kind reader into thoughtful sleepiness after a little while. Don't want to do that. What I do want to do is make a major point or two.
When we talk about the Body of Christ, there are many connections with the Real Presence other than the Mass itself. For example, as Catholics, we venerate the presence of God in the word (The Scriptures) as we do in the Mass. This is why we can see at Mass the connections between reading the Word of God and the celebration of the Eucharist itself. Jesus told us that where two or three are gathered together, he is right there in the midst of them. (If that is not a real Presence, then I don't know what is!)
There are many topics about the Eucharist which could be easily written (well,perhaps not easily, but it can be done) This is not the day to do it, but someday, in the future, it might be.
For now, just know - the presence of God in the Eucharist is Real. It exists. It is the heart of our faith. This is what we believe. This is what we celebrate on the Feast of Corpus Christi.
Here is another dimension of the Eucharist - adoration - praying to God in the Eucharist. Here is what Pope Francis said about the spiritual practice of adoration:
