A Eucharistic
Meditation
June 9, 1996
Brother John Raymond
June is a month traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus. It is not surprising that the Feast of Corpus Christi should
fall within this month__the Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love,
the love of the Heart of Jesus. Our Lord asked for this feast
because on Holy Thursday, the institution day of this sacrament, the
Church is caught up in thoughts of the Passion. By having a separate
feastday, Our Lord wanted us to focus on this great Sacrament.
For cradle Catholics it is possible perhaps to take for granted
the gift of the Holy Eucharist. Non-Catholics and non-cradle
Catholics both can offer us food for thought. So for this Corpus
Christi I wish to share with you some "live" conversations I have
taken off the Internet for your prayerful reflection.
Ken, a non-Catholic, said this, "As a Protestant, I've received
communion many many times in my life. I've even served it in my
childhood Methodist church. But I have never felt anything so
powerful as receiving the Holy Eucharist in the chapel at Seton Hall
university. A small chapel, but the power is there! I don't know
what it is, there's got to be a name for it, or perhaps you've all
been saying it all along... but during the Eucharist, and the
kneeling afterwards, I find I leave the chapel with an amazing
peace, a happiness, a sense of being part of something vastly
greater than myself and my immediate surroundings. And the feeling
lasts all day (and it's not the wine either! Before receiving
communion in the Catholic Church, I assumed the Holy Eucharist was
so powerful because everybody was drunk! How naive of me!"
Bonnie, a Catholic, answered Ken with the following, "The reason
to join the Catholic Church is Jesus himself. He is really, truly
present in the Holy Eucharist! At every Mass, you can receive HIM,
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity! You can 'church hop' all you want,
but the buck stops here!"
Elizabeth, in response to Bonnie had this to say, "You responded
to Ken's comments on reception of the Eucharist. I did not see his
letter, but wanted you to know how much I appreciated your comments.
I have been a Catholic for almost 14 years (born and raised Jewish)
and have fallen head over heals in love with Our Lord and Messiah. I
know of no other experience in life that is so profoundly humbling
and miraculously awesome as coming before the Lord and receiving Him
in the Eucharist."
Terry had this to say to Ken, "Your letter brought back so many
memories! After my conversion experience (which happened during the
first Mass I attended), I visited many churches in an effort to
bargain with God ('OK, I'll be a Christian, but do I have to be a
Catholic?') Like you, I received Commmunion at that first Mass, and
was flooded with joy, peace, and, most of all, a Real Presence I
knew could only be Christ. I knew nothing at all of Catholic
theology at that point; it wasn't that I "believed" in the Real
Presence__I felt it...One day, when the roads were icy, I stopped in
at the Cathedral for the 12:10 Mass. There were perhaps a dozen
people in the vast nave, mostly elderly. I didn't know how to follow
the Mass, so I just stayed in a corner and knelt all the way through
it. The priest was not particularly inspiring__he rushed through the
liturgy in a monotone. The church (at that time) was hideous__gloomy
and in poor condition, with ugly green carpet and a loudly clanking
furnace. Yet HE was there! (I did not receive on that day. I had
been reading books and had learned it was not allowed.) I called the
only Catholic I knew and got the name of a priest. He was the
chaplain at a small university chapel. We met a few times and I
began going to daily Mass. I had read so much by this time that he
soon said I had a sufficient grasp of Catholic doctrine to make a
decision as to whether to enter the Church. I did__almost 16 years
ago. I know a couple of people have reminded you that it is not
licit for non-Catholics to receive Communion. That's true. I also
know what it felt like for you when you did. Ken, with faith like
yours in the Blessed Sacrament, you will never feel satisfied in any
other Church. Ask to be received and soon! You'll be in my prayers."
With these reflections let us spend this Corpus Christi in
adoration of, gratitude for and prayerful meditation concerning the
Holy Eucharist. Oh, by the way, you non-cradle Catholics can too!