Do We Recognize the Eucharist?
How many times do we see ourselves flying through our day, from one day to the next? The year can fly by and at times I can be too busy to see what is in front of me; God, my family, my relationships at work, or my friends. We struggle so often in the United States with a deep sense of entitlement and are haunted by an aching sense that we are missing the most important things in life. Do we come to the Eucharist in a similar state? The majority of Catholics in the pews struggle to believe that Jesus Christ, the Lord who walked the streets of Galilee is present in the Mass. We believe He comes to us in the bread and wine, in the same way as at the last supper – but we are slow to believe it true now in our churches and on our altars; Some doubt, and some are too distracted!
How many times do we see ourselves flying through our day, from one day to the next? The year can fly by and at times I can be too busy to see what is in front of me; God, my family, my relationships at work, or my friends. We struggle so often in the United States with a deep sense of entitlement and are haunted by an aching sense that we are missing the most important things in life. Imagine if Jesus himself were to sit down with us and explain the Mass. Would any of us take the time to listen to Him? The busyness of our lives, a pervasive sense of unease, and a relentless pursuit of material wealth, power, and status often leave us feeling unable to pause and ponder deeper questions.
One of the gifts of changing seasons is that nature offers a little “reset.” Spring brings cold, quiet, contemplative mornings and provides space for us to slow down, if we take the time to notice it. Otherwise, we may be constantly driven by an inability to appreciate the most beautiful things around us.
However, there are moments, such as a warm spring evening with a sunset, or a loving moment with our children, or while spending time in nature, when our constant rapid pace can stop, and we can be in tune with nature. In nature, we can be reminded to slow ourselves down a little and see how nature reflects God’s life. We can stop and recognize the beautiful way nature tells us about God – present in the sunrise, the garden, and the quiet moments of nature that calm our heart, mind, and soul.
Pope Benedict once expressed that “The Eucharist is peace from the Lord.” In other words, the Mass embodies a sense of peace. When was the last time you encountered the Mass as a source of peace? It may seem almost comical, considering the challenges of bringing children to Mass, the presence of noisy tourist groups, or catching up with friends after a long week.
First, let’s acknowledge that we need to give ourselves permission to slow down and find peace in the Mass. Then, we must recognize that the Mass, much like the sunrise, a garden, or a quiet moment in nature, has a natural way of affecting us. To those of us frantically chasing after life, it may be hard to see. When I take a moment to immerse myself in the Mass and allow myself to pause, I can sense a natural connection to my human nature. This is why vestments and Christian art are often decorated like a garden, to remind us of the Garden where Adam and Eve fell into disobedience. In the garden of Gethsemane, Christ surrendered his life to sanctify our nature and ultimately suffered and rose again.
When we take the time to slow down and truly observe the nature of the Mass, we can allow its profound message to deeply impact us. How can we pray better with this in mind during Mass?
-We can pray better by remembering that Jesus forgives our venial sins through the penitential rite at the beginning of mass when we hear “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life.”
-We can also pray better by recalling that the exchange of peace during Mass is not just a symbolic act, but a genuine opportunity to forgive and seek forgiveness from others.
-Additionally, we can pray better by recognizing that Jesus shares his loving presence with us through the words “this is my body, this is my blood”, offering us actual grace.
-Furthermore, we can pray better by understanding that Jesus saves us through the Mass, as signified by “Behold the lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world”, imparting sanctifying grace.
-Finally, we can pray better by remembering that Jesus sends us out in peace with the words “Go in peace.”
I encourage you to bring one of these above thoughts to mind during an upcoming Mass. I pray it will have an impact on your prayer experience.
~ Fr. Adam Laski