Friars Corner: The miracle of Jesus in the Eucharist
Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR
Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalms 34:2-3, 10-15; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
This is from my office just before our Friday, three o’clock Eucharistic Holy Hour. Several Franciscan friars sing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and say the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the salvation of our world. In the Blessed Sacrament, we find the core of our faith and salvation. What a great miracle and joy.
The Holy Eucharist remembers four things. First, it is the greatest of all 7 of our sacraments. Second, it is the summit of our Christian life. Third, it fulfills what God commanded the Jews to celebrate the night before they left Egypt for the Promised Land. And fourth, it is the ongoing presence miracle of Jesus’ daily in his worldwide church.
The Passover fulfilled
The Mass is the Passover fulfilled and renewed daily. The Paschal lamb has been replaced by Jesus, who is the Lamb of God; for by his shed blood, we pass over from sin and death to new life. The Eucharist is the sustenance of our Christian life. It gives us God’s power and life to help up make our earthly journey to be with God forever in heavenly glory.
Since some could not print out the excerpts from St. John 6 that I attached last Sunday, I give it below. Five times Jesus said he was our Bread of Life come down from heaven. This Sunday we read the last section of that gospel. It is so important to read and prayerfully study this chapter. We can make the transition from thinking of that little white wafer we receive at communion as just a little remembrance of what Jesus said at the Last Supper.
The Last Supper continues
At the beginning of that chapter, Jesus fed 5,000 men with 5 barley loaves and a few fish. You have to add the wives, children and many others. On that occasion, Jesus fed at least 30,000 people. Although Jesus went back to heaven, he chose to make himself present by continuing to do what he did at the Last Supper, by changing simple bread and wine into his own Body and Blood in Communion. It would be very difficult to get an accurate number of how many people receive the presence and power of Jesus all over the world in Communion each Sunday.
Far fewer go to daily Mass. The more we understand this daily miracle, the more of us would be drawn to go more frequently to daily Mass. Our joy at having Jesus increase his presence within us would greatly increase. I have fallen in love with a greater understanding of an old Christmas Carol and changed it a bit, if you would allow me.
O Come, all you faithful, joyful and triumphant;
O come all, O come all to your parish church.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
After the consecration, we could sing with more understanding:
“O come, let us adores him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, our Lord!”
Thus, with the angels present we would be singing with exultation, glory to God present here. Thus we receive more divine power to go forth into the world radiating his love and power. Now, print this summary of John 6 to allow it to enlighten your mind and pierce your hearts with more of Christ’s love.
Excerpts from St. John, chapter 6
John 6:1-15: (multiplication of the loaves at Passover)
16-20: (walking on the water)
22-24: (crowd chases after Jesus)
Discourse on the Bread of Life:
26:b “You are looking for me because you have eaten your fill of the loaves.
27: You should be working for food that remains to eternal life, food that the Son of Man will give you;”
32: “Jesus said to them:
‘I solemnly assure you, it was not Moses who gave you bread from the heaven; It was my Father who gives you the real heavenly bread.’”
33: ”God’s bread comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34: “Sir, give us this bread always,” they besought him.
35: Jesus explained to them: “I myself am the Bread of Life. (I)
No one who comes tome shall ever be hungry, No one who believes in me shall ever thirst. (See also Is 55:1ff)
36: “But as I told you – though you have seen me, you still do not believe.”
41: At this, the Jews started to murmur in protest because he claimed, “I am the Bread that came down from heaven.” (II)
47: “Let me firmly assure you, he (the one) who believes has eternal life. (Jn 3:15-16 “…that all who believe may have eternal life. ‘Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life.”) {See also: 1 Jn 4:9 and Jn 17:3}
48: “I am the Bread of Life. (III)
51: “I myself am the Living Bread, Come down from heaven. (IV)
If anyone eats this Bread, he or she shall live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.”
53: Thereupon Jesus said to them: “Let me solemnly assure you, If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”
55: “For my flesh is real food, and my blood real drink. (V)
The man (person) who feeds on my flesh, and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him (or her).
<Other Last Supper stories: Mt 26:17-29; Mk 14:12-25; Lk 22:7-20 >
This text from St. Paul is also critically important:
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 “I received from the Lord what I handed on to you, namely, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, and after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my Body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way after the supper (3rd of 4 cups) he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.’ Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
The Word Eucharist is from a Greek verb meaning to give thanks. In Catholic theology, it means the sacrament directly instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper. There, Jesus gave thanks to his heavenly Father and changed bread and wine into his own Body and Blood as spiritual nourishment for his followers.
From the earliest days as the Holy Spirit enlightened the community, “They devoted themselves to: 1) the apostles’ instruction and 2) the communal life, to 3) Breaking of Bread and 4) the prayers,” Acts 2:42. At Mass, we make present the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in an unbloody way for our spiritual nourishment. It is at once a mystery, a sacrament, a sacrifice, a memorial and a meal. This is Emmanuel, God always with us, Mt 1:23.
May God the Holy Spirit give all who still attend Sunday Mass a double anointing and turn on the lights of understanding in their minds so that they understand this mystery and long to be fed more with this precious miracle each day.
Love, peace and joy,
(© 2018 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)
