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"Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered Him: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" [Jn 6:67-68].
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day" [Jn 6:53-54].Jesus' words created a rift, one that today, 2,000 years later, hasn't narrowed. How sad for those who do not believe, who are unable to accept Jesus' teaching on His Real Presence. It's sad because they are unable to experience the power of the Eucharist in their lives.
How did the fathers of the Second Vatican Council describe the Eucharist?
''...the source and summit of the Christian life" [Lumen Gentium, 11]."The source and summit" -- that covers it all, doesn't it? Can anything be more powerful?
She wasn't a Catholic so when they entered the chapel, he explained the significance of the red sanctuary light and the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle. She asked him if he really believed that Jesus Christ was present there under the appearance of bread.
Of course, he said, "Yes."
She just shook her head and said, "If I believed that, I'd never be able to tear myself away from this room."
Oh, yes, how we take for granted so many of the graces and blessings we receive daily from God.
It wasn't too long ago - the time of my grandparents - when it was customary for people to receive the Eucharist only on Sundays and feast days. It was St. Pius X who flung open the tabernacles of the world.
During the days of our patron, St. Vincent de Paul, there was a movement to do just the opposite: to permanently close all the tabernacles. The Jansenists of France had persuaded large numbers of people that few, if any, were worthy to receive the Eucharist. They believed, too, that Christ did not die for all, but for just a favored few.
Fortunately, St. Vincent succeeded in convincing Rome of the dangers of this heretical doctrine. Vincent saw the value of frequent Holy Communion, even if the Church at the time did not encourage people to receive Christ's Body and Blood with the frequency it does today.
The challenge to us, who have the joy and privilege of receiving the Eucharist frequently, is to keep our souls in a sense of wonder that the Bread of Life we eat here today is the same as that given to the Apostles at the Last Supper.
How did Jesus put it?
"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst" [Jn 6:35].
"It is the Lord who receives us and assumes us into Himself."In other words, Christ doesn't become conformed to us; we become conformed to Christ.
But there's more. Because Eucharist is a sacrament, we also receive the Holy Spirit, the soul of Christ. If we are in a state of grace, then, the Trinity dwells within. Everything's there for us.
What a marvelous gift! And what wonders it can work in our lives! With the Author of Life within us, we have absolutely nothing to fear. Death has no power over us.
After Communion Fr. Cromwell likes to lead us in that beautiful prayer -- Anima Christi or The Soul of Christ -- a prayer attributed to St. Ignatius Loyola,
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me...Yes, indeed, brothers and sisters, the Last Supper is ongoing, still sanctifying, still saving. But we must pray for open hearts, that the world will come to recognize Jesus in this wondrous gift of the Eucharist.
We should pray, too, for ourselves, that we use this gift well, and bring Christ's Eucharistic presence to others.
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