Become what you eat and drink!
A child sees another child fall down and goes to help her get up. A swimmer flounders in the water and a person passing by does not hesitate. She jumps into the water to try to give assistance. A new student in the local high school is being bullied and another student approaches in order to stand with the new student, offering strength and solidarity. A newly arrived immigrant is at a store trying to buy some necessary merchandise but is struggling to communicate with the cashier. A bilingual person steps forward to translate. A nurse and a janitor are coming to the end of a long shift in the emergency department. They see each other, they smile and wave goodbye knowing that they have shared in work for the good of others. A group of people are conversing when they begin to gossip about someone who is not present. A man invites the others to halt such gossip. They continue to speak badly about the absent person and the man leaves the group. He tells the other that he will not participate in such talk.
The helpful and exemplary actions noted above are examples of the “real presence” of Christ. These people are demonstrating the living Eucharist!
In the Gospels and in the celebration of the Eucharist at Mass, we hear the stories of Jesus’s ministry and teaching. We remember what he taught others by his extraordinary example. We attempt to remember his whole life by remem-bering his final sacrifice, his passion, his death, AND his resurrection. We call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to change the gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. As we remember and pray, God makes the transformation happen!
In the Eucharist, we do what Jesus commanded us to do through the apostles, and through God the miracle occurs. It is a wonder, a powerful event, a purposeful remembering of Jesus the Christ that makes what happened a long time ago, happen NOW. Take and eat my body. Take and drink my blood. Remember me! Become what you have received! This is the Real Presence of Christ!
“Make holy, therefore, [the bread and wine], we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall.” “Like the dewfall” reminds us of the manna that appeared in the desert, mysteriously, silently, but truly. Science can explain how the dew forms, but to the human eye it is a wonder, a miracle. We go to bed and the earth is dry, and without rain we awake to find wet grass and leaves. I did not see it happen, but IT HAPPENED!
Become what you eat and drink! Be the Body and Blood of Christ you have received! You are real, and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and in you, is real! Believe it!
Peace, Fr. Andy