Comment
The Real Presence Message from our Administrator Very Rev. P. J. Madden
“Oh sacred banquet, in which Christ is received; the memory of his passion is celebrated, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.” Dear reader, Christ’s peace be with you, as you read this challenging but beautiful article! The prayer quoted above is the prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas after holy Communion, when, having received the body and blood of our glorified Savior, all his great theological writings and ideas fall away, and he, one of the church’s greatest thinkers, adores Jesus whom he has just received. Yes, for that is the truth of this great mystery; when we celebrate Mass and go to Communion we are fully united to Jesus as he enters us and we become alive in him. There is nothing else to be said! Our Catholic faith teaches that Jesus, after praying at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me,” as he fed the Apostles his very body and blood, invites us to share this mysterious but real meal at every Mass. Sadly, in recent times, we have received evidence, and a responsible opinion poll further indicates this, too, that we have lost the conviction of this glorious truth. In that case, with weakened faith, our call to discipleship (following the footsteps and learning at the feet of the Master) is greatly compromised. This has serious implications, not only for the church and ourselves, but for the world. Why, you may ask? Because we are each
called, by Christ himself, and gifted by the Holy Spirit, to be Christ to others, and take his message to the whole world. If you need immediate reassurance of the truth of this great mystery, read John’s Gospel! Jesus makes clear, many times, that if you “eat my flesh you will have life in you.” Again, Jesus reminds us “Who eats my flesh lives forever.” It is crystal clear that it is Christ himself we eat!
In order to reawaken our faith in this central truth of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, and with it our devotion to holy Mass at least once a week, our bishops have invited us all, beginning on Corpus Christi (celebrated this year on Sunday, June 19) to a renewal, through prayer and teachings, and to a fuller understanding of what a privileged people we are to have Christ as our guest, even as he invites us to be his guest, at every eucharistic celebration! Further articles will appear in this magazine, together with invitations to group discussions, and classes on eucharistic themes, over the coming months, to guide and renew our belief
8 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • July 2022
in this central mystery of our faith. We sing at Mass “We are one body, one spirit in Christ” and that is what we are aiming to be, so that, through our lived faith, Christ is made present to our families, community and world. By our Christian lifestyle, we are the instruments through which Christ invites others to come to know and share his life. In this way, too, we are witnesses to hope, which is the theme of our diocesan Strategic Plan, by which our call to discipleship is realized! Our participation in the Eucharist is not a passive but dynamic experience, which powered by the Holy Spirit, sends us forth to proclaim: “Jesus Christ is Lord, the same, yesterday, today and forever.” To start your personal renewal, may I invite you to begin each day with an act of spiritual communion, a very simple prayer like: “Dear Jesus, please fill my heart with your presence that I may be Christ to others this day.” Also, make the prayer at the start of this article your personal prayer after Communion to remind you that Jesus is truly with you and you with him. Remember, through our baptism, we are called to bear witness to his presence in the world through our lived faith. How can this be if we do not accept the presence of our teacher, guiding, enlightening and teaching us, through prayer and regular celebration of holy Mass? May this period of graced renewal fill you with a new appreciation of our privileged position to be instruments of Christ’s living and loving presence in our world, which never needed him more! “Lord Jesus, present to us in the Eucharist, we place our trust in you; make us a sign of your presence. Amen.” God bless. BC
