From the Pastor’s desk— June 2, 2024

Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, where we honor the body and blood of Christ.  It comes one month after our parish’s first communions and is a moment for us to meditate on the great gift of the Eucharist.  A few years ago, there was a famous survey by CARA (Center for Applied Research and Apostolate) about the Eucharist. The initial study claimed only a third of Catholics believed in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.   Later studies pushed that number up to 49%.  Some other surveys took issue with the group that was polled and later returned results that around 70% of active Catholics see the Eucharist as the real presence of Jesus. 

This last of surveys still left 30 % doubting the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Respondents predominantly said, much like our Protestant counterparts, that the Eucharist is only a symbolic presence.  This is problematic for several reasons, the foremost being, it is not scriptural.

Whereas many Protestants and some Catholics feel ours is not a Bible-believing religion, nothing could be further than the truth and this is especially true when it comes to Eucharist. The heart of our belief comes from several places in the New Testament (Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19, I Corinthians 11:24.)  It is clear from every context, this is not symbolic language, nor allegory, simile, or metaphor.  In every case, Jesus is quoted as having said “This is” and His presence is nothing short of real presence.

Some have tried to argue that the later command, “Do this in memory of me…” (found also in Mark, Luke, and I Corinthians) is when Jesus declares this is a “memorial” or His presence but not His real presence.  This fails to understand what the Jewish culture understood when they used this word.  A memorial was to make something present once again.  Too often we 21^st century people see the meanings of words as we use them, a type of spiritual egotism, but when we speak of the Bible, we must consider what they meant in their culture. 

The other response to those who claim the Eucharist to be only symbolic is that we must say the Bible cannot be taken in pieces but in the whole.  The other part of the Bible to consider is I Corinthians 11:26 that says, “as often as you do this, you proclaim the death of the Lord…”  Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we make present the death of the Lord, who died for us. 

This making present the Body and Blood of Jesus began immediately after Jesus’ resurrection with the disciples on the way to Emmaus and has continued ever since.  Our belief is further bolstered by the many Eucharistic miracles that have occurred over the centuries which we had on display last year.  For those who believe (in the words of Jesus), no proof is needed, for those who don’t, no proof is ever enough.

  

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With a heart for Mission,
Fr. Ray