THE EUCHARIST: HOC MAGNUM MYSTERIUM

by Fr. Jim Whalen 2005, Issue 1

Pope John Paul II has proclaimed “A year of the Holy Eucharist” from October, 2004 to October, 2005. He has once again shown us a way to grow in true devotion to the Eucharistic Jesus, so that all who accept and receive Him can be formed and transformed. This is especially true in terms of pro-life formation. The Holy Eucharist is God with us, Emmanuel (Mt 1:23), the unique way Jesus chose to stay with us and to nourish us, His brothers and sisters. He is really present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and remains with us in the Blessed Sacrament. The Holy Eucharist is the main weapon of strength and defense for pro-life disciples. He is present as daily food, preparing us for pro-life evangelization, enabling us to build a culture of life and love.

Pope Pius X left us a clear message, “Devotion to the Eucharist is the noblest of devotions, because it has God as its object”. Our work as pro-lifers is to present the Eucharist as a sacrament of life and love: a life and love that is crucified; a life and love that unites; a life and love that adores; a life and love that contemplates; a life and love that prays; a life and love that satisfies; a life and love that shares; a life and love that forgives; a life and love that heals.

God has truly given us all when He gave us the Eucharist. St. Augustine explains: “Although God is omnipotent, He is unable to give more; though supremely wise, He knows not how to give more; though vastly rich, He has not more to give” (Jesus, Our Eucharistic Love, p. 4). Whereas St. Bernard reminds us the Eucharist is love that surpasses all love in Heaven and on earth; St. Thomas emphasizes that the Eucharist signifies and produces love; St. Peter Eymard tells us that the Eucharist is the supreme proof of the love of Jesus.

Pope John Paul II challenges young people in his message for World Youth Day 2005: “Make courageous choices...come and worship Christ. He is the rock on which to build your future and a world of greater justice and solidarity” (Aug. 26, 2004).

To find the riches of the Eucharist involves exercising the mind, the heart and the will. We must exercise our minds by reflecting, praying, and pondering on the mystery of love before the Blessed Sacrament, the gift of God Himself. We must exercise our hearts with acts of mercy imitating the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that we will long for unity with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We must exercise our wills through acts of self sacrifice so as to become humble and self-effacing, imitating Christ’s Incarnation.

The value of the Holy Eucharist, the value of Holy Mass, is so great that even martyrdom pales in comparison. The Cure of Ars, St. John Vianney, helps us to understand by pointing out the infinite value of the Mass: “Martyrdom is nothing, in comparison with the Mass, because martyrdom is a sacrifice of man to God, whereas the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man” (Ibid, p. 18). St. Pio of Pietrelcina states that when one understands the unlimited value of the Mass, great effort will be made to attend and participate as often as possible. “If men were to understand the value of the Holy Mass, such crowds would come to church that police would be needed to keep order at every Mass” (Ibid. p. 19).

As pro-life disciples, let us make the Holy Eucharist a priority in our lives. There is no better way of formation than daily Mass and daily reception of Communion. In this way we will be prepared for whatever we have to do whenever we are called upon to defend and protect life and build a civilization of love. +

Footnote: Jesus our Eucharistic Love, Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, FI, pub. by Immaculate Mediatrix, New Bedford, MA, 1996, pp. 147.