My dear parishioners, what you see may not be all there is. The celebration of the Eucharist is a most sublime example of this. Your eyes of sight merely see the appearance of things. They see bread and wine presented at the altar, blessed by God’s priest and shared with the assembly in the Mass. However, eyes of faith can see much more. Your eyes of faith can marvel at the substance of things. They behold in the consecrated bread and wine the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the God-man Jesus Christ who commanded, “Do this in remembrance of me.” [Lk 22:19]

What did Jesus mean by “remember” and “do this” in his name? Jesus wanted his
followers to remember that he is the Son of God who offered himself as a sacrifice
to redeem the world from its sins. The eucharistic sacrifice he instituted is indispensable for his followers’ well-being. This well-being Jesus affirmed as “eternal life.” [Jn 6:54] To possess eternal life, his followers must eat his flesh and drink his blood. [Jn 6:54]

How were they to do this? Jesus’ followers were to remain in communion with
one another, gather together to hear God’s Word, and give gifts of bread and wine
for a sacrificial offering in union with his passion and death on the cross. Partaking
of the consecrated bread and wine fulfilled the teaching of the Lord. “He who eats
my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last
day.” [Jn 6:54]

From the beginning, the works of God have been wonderful and profound, too
mysterious for human beings to comprehend. But the command of Our Lord to
“remember” and “do this” is not so difficult to understand that mortals are unable
to carry it out. Indeed human beings are always drawn to that which enables them
to thrive. What brings life to human creatures is the Mass by which heaven and
earth are united in a covenant relationship mediated by the high priest Jesus
Christ. This union the writer of Hebrews calls “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” [Heb 12:22] These words offer a glimpse of heaven and of eternal life.

St. Augustine understood sacraments as the “visible form of an invisible grace.” This is a way of speaking about the mysterious work of God’s Holy Spirit who changes mere bread and wine into the living divinity of Christ in the Mass. The visible bread, consecrated, Jesus called “my flesh.” Likewise, the visible wine, consecrated, Jesus called “my blood”. Hence the invisible grace of the blessed bread and wine is the very substance of Jesus’ flesh and blood. Thus, at every eucharistic celebration, the followers of Jesus fulfill his command to eat his flesh and drink his blood. 

Moreover, the invisible grace of the Holy Spirit imparts supernatural goodness to those who partake of the Lord’s Body and Blood. Though unseen, this goodness too is substantial. Christians are to act toward all human beings as they would to each other, indeed as though toward Jesus himself. For they themselves were once strangers to each other and unable to know the angels God sent to minister to them. Christians, imitating angels, are to minister to strangers selflessly, revealing the compassion of our loving heavenly father by their benevolent deeds. In this way Christian faith is made strong and many doubts erased, that believers may be seen to be of Christ and not of the world, cleaving to the eucharist as the pledge of their hope. 

The writer of Hebrews needed no one to instruct him about human nature. He was very much aware that a Christian cannot thrive if he or she neglects to go to Mass. “Remembering” and “do this” are impossible for one who has drifted away from communion with God’s people. “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” [Heb 10:24-25] Sincerely in the hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Your pastor, Reverend Richard Barker.

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