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Fr. Gerry Creedon's homily delivered at St. Charles on June 2, 2002
All of us have someone in our life that represents a God image to us. For me that prominent figure is my maternal Grandfather. He was someone who by his person, by the way he treated people, and by his attitude always impressed me as gentle. He was a good man and some of God's goodness you could see through him. In some ways he didn't see himself like that, but that was typical of his generation. He received communion only once a year as part of his Easter duty when he went to confession. That was it. While he went to Mass on Sundays, he was part of a generation who didn't see themselves worthy to participate in the communion rite.
Corpus Christi of Old
Father Mendez and I were talking about our hometowns and the Corpus Christi processions that take place every year. It is happening today in my home village of Inchigeelagh. The Eucharist is brought into the middle of the town and village, and Christ is adored from a distance.
It reflects a view of the Eucharist as primarily an object to be adored and worshipped from a distance. Benediction and the Tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament were the focus of Christ's presence rather than the Liturgy itself. We still preserve that aspect of our tradition in our chapel here at St. Charles. People come in during the day and take a moment of reverent silent worship.
In a generation the emphasis changed. In my family, my parents went to Mass and communion every day. Were they more Godly?
The Eucharist in the 20th Century
Pius X back at the turn of century put out the word that we should all participate more frequently in the Eucharist. It takes Catholics a long time to change old customs. Pius XII came along in the 1950's with Mystici Corporis Christi, which again encourages not just adoration but participation in the Eucharist. In our lifetime we've all experienced "the changes". We are sometimes a little confused about them. Some feel as though we lost the reverence, the quiet and the respect.
Some priests say that the laity has lost faith in the Eucharist. We keep hearing at clergy meetings that surveys are showing that people no longer believe in transubstantiation. Have we lost our belief in the reality of Christ's presence? I don't think so.
The presence of Christ in the Eucharist has always been at the core of our identity as Catholics. Protestant Churches call their ministers "preachers". Our religious leaders are called "priests", a title associated with the sacrifice of the Eucharist. Rather than losing belief, we are called to expand our faith in the presence of Christ with us in the Eucharist.
The document on the liturgy from Vatican II calls the first half of the Mass "the liturgy of the word". Just recently the Vatican came out with a change that calls the priest to carry the book of the gospels, holding it over the people in a procession to the lectern. This gesture underlines a new perspective that we didn't emphasize in the past. The word of God is a real presence of Christ. It sounds liked a Protestant concept but it is ours now as well.
Remember a time when we could come to Mass and as long as we were there for the consecration we had fulfilled our obligation. It could appear that all the rest was window dressing. That is no longer the case. We now believe that the word of God is a true and authentic sign of God's presence with us. The priest in the words of consecration uses the scripture as words to inform and give new meaning to what we are doing. Word and Sacrament are coming together in a new way.
We're also called to strengthen our belief that Christ is present with us in the elements of bread and wine. If you reflect on the meaning of bread and wine you can see why Jesus chose these signs to be the on going sacrament of his presence. Bread is food and nourishment, feeding the hungers of the human heart. The cup is the cup of salvation and joy.
Conscious Participation in the Eucharistic Mystery
We are also called to see the priest in the Eucharistic actions re-enacting the role of Jesus in the Last Supper. We did not have trouble with that in the past but these days we are not so sure about priests. Nonetheless priests are called to re-enact the actions of Jesus in their person.
The other newly emphasized aspect brings all of you get into the act. The assembly is called to active conscious participation in the mystery of Eucharist. Through the Communion Rite you can receive on the tongue as done in the past or with the hand. Both options are equally reverent.
Also at daily Mass and on special occasions the Diocese of Arlington allows us to share the cup, as we will do today. The church teaches that the sharing in the cup is a fuller expression of the reality of Christ's presence. Again some are reluctant even when the cup is offered. We think we can receive the bread but the cup we reserve for the priest. Today we invite you to receive the cup.
The purpose of the communion rite is in the words St. Augustine, "To become what we receive". Ultimately we are all called to become the body of Christ. The Church as a whole, laity and clergy, are together forming a primordial sacrament, a sign of God's presence in the world.
A bishop at a confirmation asked the candidates, "What are the most important signs in a church?" There were different answers including the altar, the cross, and the tabernacle. Then one of the kids said "the exit sign, because that's when you are called to bring your faith into the world". Can we be angels in church and tigers in the parking lot?
Bringing Christ's Presence to the World
To be the presence of the Lord and to bring that presence to the world is the ultimate call for us. In some ways it is a lot easier to believe in transubstantiation and to leave Christ in the tabernacle where you can adore him from a distance, than to believe that all these people who are gathered with you are a living sign to others of God's love and presence. It is harder to believe in an expanded vision of Christ's presence. We are called to that belief. Going to church and participating in rites doesn't necessarily make you a Christian or the body of Christ, anymore than going to your garage often would make you a mechanic. It takes work to incorporate the values of the Gospel and the presence of the Lord. That is the call.
On this Feast of Corpus Christi, let's renew our faith in Christ's presence with us in the form of bread and wine, in the word, in the presence and actions of the priest, in the communion we share with the body of the Lord, and in the commission to bring that active presence to the world.
As did my grandfather, let us embody message.
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or 2002
Homilies
Revised/reviewed June 12, 2002