Giving us something to remember Him by

Prayer for the Day

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in the most Blessed Sacrament,
be praised, adored, and loved,
with grateful affection,
at every moment,
in all the tabernacles throughout the world,
until the end of time.
Amen.

Reflection

There is a history-museum quality to our homes. People who love us give us real things to make their real love, memorable and as present as their love can be, seeing that they are not really present with you. They desire to stay while they have to move on. When we take the time to see, touch, taste, or hear them, they, and their love come back to us, and sometimes with even greater intensity than when the gift was given initially. We are invited once more to receive, both the gift, and what was embedded in that “thing”. To those who do not know the history, the “thing” is just a “thing” pretty or tasteful though it is. For those who are embedded in that circle of love though, the “thing” is more than meets the eye.

This might be one way to view the Eucharist, Jesus’ Body and Blood given for us, and given to us within a very simple and human context. There is neither magic here nor something scientifically provable. Jesus came and comes to give us life and here uses bread as the symbol of life. He leaves His friends, as we have to do often and yet He remains to accompany us, in our life’s journeys. He is Someone who loves us, and had to leave for a short while, yet he left behind a silver plate.  The plate offers us a deep experience of being loved when we first received it and now as we receive it again. It doesn’t look or feel like a silver plate, and it can’t be proven.  Not scientifically, but I think it can through that love which we experience perhaps, anew, might be a proof in how our life reveals being so loved. The proof is in the putting on the outside what we have received inside.

St. Paul insists we are all one body when we celebrate - French or Latino, American or African or Chinese, Afghan or Russian - we are all one body - for rejoicing, for loving, and for giving away.  (1 Cor 10:16-17) I think the biggest question for us Catholics, besides firmly believing in the Real Presence, is the question of how much of the Eucharist do we share, as we are asked to at the end of every Mass?

After all, if we really become the Body and Blood of Christ in the Lord and in one another, then selfishness has no place. Of course, we want to savor the Lord's friendship, for some time after receiving Holy Communion, but then we must "go" and "give." We give when we discipline ourselves to answer the pastor's call for help in a parish activity, or when we are patient with our children (even if we have to force a smile and a kind word of correction), or we decide to make time each day for deep prayer with the Lord. Also, we share the Eucharist when we go with our families on a Sunday afternoon to visit an elderly relative or neighbor in the nursing home or hospital.  It's a sermon to our children that they will probably remember even more than Father's carefully prepared homily! Then, there are the big issues of social justice! These are all connected with the Holy Eucharist.

Our histories are sacred, because His presence has been as real as life itself.  Our “Amen” may end the meal, but begin Christ’s dwelling in the sacredness of our lives. It is all simply wonder-full.