A Meditation for Corpus Christi
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!