Homily for
Ordinary Time 20
August 19, 2018
Why the Eucharist?
In 1345
in Wawel, Poland, thieves broke into a church and began to steal the vessels.
They even broke into the tabernacle and stole the ciborium (vessel that holds the Eucharistic hosts). Later that day
as they were examining their cache of stolen goods, they realized that the
ciborium was not gold but only gold-plated, and not as valuable as they
thought. In frustration, they threw the ciborium, with the Eucharist still
inside, into a nearby swamp.
That
evening, the priests of the church saw that their church had been broken into.
They began to search the town for clues, but could find none. Completely
dispirited and saddened, they returned home, praying that God would return the
vessels – and the Eucharist – to the church.
That
night, when darkness had fallen, several townspeople noticed something strange
coming from the swamp. Bright lights seemed to radiate from the moist ground.
They immediately reported this to the Bishop, who ordered three days of fasting
and prayer. On the third day, the Bishop led a procession out to the swamp,
where he discovered the source of the light: the Eucharist was radiating bright
beams of light into the air. The Bishop was able to return the ciborium with
the unharmed Eucharistic Lord to the Church. When the King of Poland, King
Casimir III, heard of this miracle, he was so amazed that he ordered a huge
basilica to be built on the spot – a church which still stands today.
Clearly
the Eucharist is the greatest thing in the Universe – the very Flesh and Blood
of God. Not a symbol, not a sign, but His true Body, hidden beneath the species
of bread and wine. But why did He give it to us? It seemed bizarre to the Jews,
who murmured and complained about this teaching. Why did He give us His flesh
to eat?
Two
reasons. First, what was the first sin, the sin of Adam and Eve? It was eating.
Our disobedience came through consuming – taking into our flesh – the sinful
fruit. Thus, we can only be saved by obedience to Christ’s words, “Take and eat”
– consuming His Body. The Eucharist is the medicine that undoes the disease of
sin.
Second,
what closer way is there to be united to something than to eat it? When I eat
an apple, it becomes digested and metabolized so that all the nutrients –
calories, vitamins, minerals – literally become a part of my muscles and skin
and hair (what little I have left!). Likewise, Christ wants to unite Himself to
us. But this union can’t be merely spiritual, because we are not just spiritual
beings. We have a body, and it’s in and through our body that we practice
virtue or vice, that we sin or do good deeds. Our body is a critical part of
us, so Jesus knew that He had to save our bodies along with our souls. Thus,
for Him to dwell deep within our entire selves – body and soul – He needed to
give Himself in a way that He can literally dwell in every cell of our body and
every recess of our soul. Hence, the Eucharist.
It takes
faith to see Him. He comes to us veiled in something very common and ordinary –
bread and wine – so that we are not afraid to receive Him. After all, who would
want to approach the Communion line if you received a jiggling, bleeding piece
of flesh! But because God knows our frailty, He hides Himself in a way we can
understand and receive.
We need
not ask, “God, where are You?” He has not abandoned us so long as the Eucharist
is with us. Let us approach Him with greater fervor and love, for He has
humbled Himself so that He could dwell in our body and soul.
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