This weekend we continue our journey through the Bread of Life Discourse from the sixth chapter John in which Jesus repeatedly identifies himself as the Bread of Life and offers himself to us as such in the gift of the Eucharist. Please read the sixth chapter of John. It won’t take long. Reading it in its entirety will give you a renewed appreciation for our belief in Christ’s REAL presence in the Eucharist, which we celebrate every day and in a more dramatic way each weekend. In my reflections I have emphasized Life as much as Bread, because it is important to see our Life experiences as being enriched by the Bread we receive in the Eucharist, which is Jesus Christ.
We began the first week with an emphasis on words such as LITURGY (the work of the people) as well as Church documents that call us to “…full, conscious and active participation” in the Eucharistic celebration. Building on that we emphasized the activity of the Mass as well as the objects of bread and wine, thus underscoring that the Eucharistic celebration is as much a verb (action of the Holy Spirit) as a noun (something that we receive), sacred OBJECTS that nourish us for spiritual ACTION.
Last week we focused on the Gathering Rite as setting the tone for each Mass and the Liturgy of the Word (Christ’s real presence in both the people gathered and the Scriptures proclaimed).
This weekend we turn our focus to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We move from Christ’s real presence in the people gathered and Scripture proclaimed to his presence in the elements of bread and wine. This part of the Mass begins with members of the assembly (who represent all of us) bringing forward and placing the elements of bread and wine on the altar as an OFFFERING. Here at Holy Family the assembly ushers forth the Offertory in a unique way – by standing in a wave from back to front. Consider that we are using the offering of bread and wine to emphasize that we are offering ourselves to God.
The presider then leads the assembly in a prayer of CONSECRATION that calls down the Holy Spirit to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, thus carrying out his command to be with us in this profoundly spiritual event, both now and forever.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist continues with the assembly praying the Our Father. At Holy Family we accentuate this prayer by joining hands, even across the aisles, sometimes singing the prayer, all of which celebrate our unity.
We then come forward to receive The Bread of Life. We share it. We receive it as a gift. When presented with the Body and Blood of Christ, we respond AMEN. This is a Greek word that has no clean interpretation into English, but we consider that it means at least three things. First, it means “yes.” Second, it means “I believe.” Third, it is a commitment to be what we are receiving, namely the Body of Christ. With our “Amen” we are making a statement of who Christ is and who we. We are receiving a gift and making a commitment at the same time.
The liturgical documents encourage us to bow slightly prior to receiving the Body and Blood of Christ as a sign of reverence and respect. At Holy Family we encourage you to STATE YOUR NAME after bowing. This is a statement of who you are in the face of who Christ really is. It also makes a sacred moment more sacred because it is made more personal.
Please consider making your own altar with your hands flat and open to receive the Body of Christ, one hand beneath the other so that the Eucharistic minister can place the host on your altar safely and reverently. Please do not grab or take the host; allow it to be placed on your altar as a gift received.
Please consider receiving both the Body and Blood of Christ. The cup contains the Blood of Christ, but it also represents the divine/human covenant. Slightly different from the bread/Body that we receive, the cup of Christ’s Blood is passed from one to another, from minister to assembly. In other words, we are entrusted with holding the covenant and drinking from it. There is great sacredness in the act of passing the covenant from one to another. It is the ultimate act of sharing and celebrating community by sharing the common cup containing something far from common. Consider that it also represents many other sacred things that we share with each other along life’s journey. Obviously, God understands if you choose not to receive from the cup because of allergies or other reasons pertaining to the alcohol content of the wine/Blood.
Please consider that intinction, or dipping the host in the wine, is not the ideal way to receive Christ’s Blood. First of all, Jesus’ words at the last supper with the cup are a command, “Take this all of you and drink from it…” Secondly, we have more germs on our hands than in our mouths. By dipping the host, our hands often come in contact with the cup as well as the tips of our fingers in the wine. Next, from the minister’s standpoint, it is difficult to hold a cup while another person dips the host in it. Finally, several members of the assembly have gluten allergies and dipping the host in the wine injects elements that make them very sick as they receive from the cup.
All of the above has been carefully reflected upon to make our celebration of The Bread of Life more sacred. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.
Next weekend, August 18 & 19, we will hold our annual summer mission appeal, this year for Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos. Fr. Tom Byrne will speak on Saturday and Bishop-Elect Fr. Ron Hicks will speak at Sunday Masses. Further information on NPH can be found on page 19 of this bulletin.