Remember Christ's Gifts To Us Especially During The Mass

            I recently attended a Jesuit retreat (White House Retreat in St. Louis) where we were fortunate to have Jesuit Father James Kubicki as our retreat director for the weekend.  Father Kubicki is the National Director for the Apostleship of Prayer.  In one of his homilies, he spoke of the Eucharist.

            He stated that Jesus, at the Last Supper, had three obstacles He needed to overcome.  First, Jesus wanted to be with His friends and loved ones.  He did not want to leave His companions and yet, He knew that He must.  Therefore, He gave them the Eucharist so that He would be with them (and us) forever.

            Second, Jesus wished to be united to them (and us) intimately as does anyone who cares deeply for another.  When we love another or have great affection for another, we deeply wish to be with that person.  Through the consumation of the body and blood of Jesus, we are truly united with Him in a most intimate and glorious way.  He truly dwells within us – His body dissolving into ours, His body nourishing ours.

            Third, Jesus wished to be remembered.  He wanted and needed His closest companions (a group that includes us) to remember Him as He was – not only our Savior God but also our closest companion on this journey through life: “Do this in remembrance of me….”

            Father Kubicki then asked what we get out ofMass.  Sometimes we are dissatisfied because the music was too loud or the Mass was too long, or the priest’s homily dragged on a bit.  Other times we say the Mass was great!  It was 50 minutes, the music was perfect and the homily spoke to us (in a timely manner). 

            If Jesus were asking the question, might He not ask, “What about Me?  What about the Eucharistic celebration?  What about My gift to you?”

          When the priest raises the chalice and host during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we remember that He was raised on the cross for our salvation. When the Host is broken and elevated for us to view, we are reminded that His body was broken for our brokenness.

         And when the Roman soldier pierced the side of Christ, water and blood poured forth, which was the beginning of the Church, signifying Baptism and the Eucharist.  Do we truly remember Christ in our liturgy, or have we traded remembrance-through-ritual with the desire for revelry?"

         My dearest brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ: When we are tempted to critique the Mass (and even our faith and religion), we must consider the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ truly present to us in the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass. Let us remember!

            Do not live with doubt in your hearts.  Seek out the answers to your questions, and reach out to those who are having difficulty on this journey.  It is perfectly natural to have questions or doubts; and yet we, as apostles on this journey of faith, are obligated to take Christ to others – beginning with those around us.

            “Love your neighbor as yourself.” These are the words of Jesus Christ.  Will we not love those around us enough to show them the example of Christ?  Let us know our faith well enough to respond with conviction when we are asked from what source our joy springs!