Monday, November 9, 2009

TODAY'S BURNING BUSH

Years ago as a 9th grader, I devoured all the stories of Sherlock Holmes. In one of these, Dr. Watson asked Holmes how he was able to solve the crime when he had looked at the same clues and yet had no clue. Holmes replies, “The difference, my dear Watson, is that you look while I observe.” And to prove his point Holmes said, “You have visited me in my apartment for more than 20 years. Each day you walk up and down the stairs that lead to my apartment. How many steps are there in the stairway?” When Watson could not answer, Holmes said, “There you have it, Watson. You see, but you do not observe.”

Most of us are familiar with the burning bush experience Moses had when he encountered the Holy Presence. Perhaps we, too, would love to have that holy encounter. WE DO. It’s called the Holy Eucharist. But, like Dr. Watson, though we may see (and believe), we often fail to be aware. And therefore we fail to have our holy encounter.

Moses had to be reminded that this was a divine encounter. “God said…Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” (Ex 3:5) We, too, have been told, and we bow reverently or genuflect in the presence of the Holy Eucharist, but unlike Moses, we are NOT awakened from the ordinariness and busy-ness of our life to be in awe of our miraculous encounter.

The noted Trappist Monk and spiritual writer, Thomas Merton, said it well, “Holy Communion tends to become a routine and “secularized” activity when it is sought not so much as a mystical contact with the Incarnate Word of God and with the members of His Mystical Body, but rather as a way of gaining social approval and allaying feelings of anxiety. In this manner even the most sacred realities can be debased and, without totally losing their sacred character, enter in to the round of secular “diversion”. (The Inner Experience, p. 53.)

Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we, too, seem to be caught up in the challenges and troubled events of our life. Yet, they ultimately recognized him in the breaking of the bread, and said “Were not our hearts burning within us?” (Lk 24:32) What will it take for our hearts to be on fire? What will it take for us to have a burning bush experience? What will it take for us to recognize the Divine in our midst?

Perhaps, a deeper appreciation of what takes place at the celebration of the Eucharist. It is God coming to us again. We know it. We believe it. Yet, still something is missing. Perhaps, if we knew that in this holy encounter there are TWO miracles. The first is when the celebrant places his hands over the bread and wine and asks God to change them into the Body and Blood of Christ. The second miracle is even greater. It happens when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ and are transformed into what we receive. If there is no second miracle, then the first one is just for show. CHRIST DID NOT COME TO CHANGE BREAD AND WINE INTO HIS BODY AND BLOOD. HE CAME TO CHANGE US INTO HIM.

But for this to happen, requires more than receiving. It demands AWARENESS and a TRANSFORMATION in us, just as there was a transformation in Moses and the Emmaus Disciples. It calls for us to be different after we have received. Indeed, we are not called to “receive” but to ENFLESH the Body and Blood of Christ.

All too often we receive out of habit or custom or a sense of guilt (if we abstain). Perhaps, it gives us some comfort to check off our list that we went to Mass. We seem to go through the motions, get in line and follow the crowd, return to our pew, and nothing more…hence, no encounter; no transformation; no miracle. Sadly, this is more and more evident at each Mass. As I travel the country, it is sad to see so few children at Mass, even in parishes where they have a Catholic grade school or hundreds of children in faith formation. It is not the children’s fault.

Perhaps, it begins with how we prepare our children for First Communion. Each year, their parents send them catechism, and they come by the tens of thousands, if not more, but the parents rarely attend Mass, and when they do, fail to receive (for any number of reasons). We need to find a better way to teach our children and to catechize their parents. Moreover, whether or not we realize it, this laxity has a contagious effect on all of us, our fervency, and how we view Communion – being one – with God and with each other.

Some years ago I was visiting a friend, Florence, who was ill. After sharing the Word of the day and praying with her, I went to give her Communion. As I did so, her cat, Holiday, jumped up and almost snatched the Holy Host from my hand. I was able to pull it back, and gasped, “Boy, that was close.” And then Florence shared that years earlier Father Tommy had visited her and when he went to give her Communion, her dog had jumped up and did grab and swallow it. As I reflected on that, I wondered: What is the difference between a dog or cat swallowing the Holy Eucharist, or a person who does not believe, or a person who says they believe but their mind is “a million miles away” when they receive, perhaps so focused on the Communion song they are singing that they are blind and numb to the holy encounter with the Holy Presence? I could not think of any meaningful difference.

What do YOU think of when you receive the Eucharist? How present are you to the Holy Presence…to our Burning Bush?

8 comments:

  1. Sometimes during mass, the words: bread that human hands have made – make me think that if it is bread that we make can be transformed into Christ’s body- is it not be not only the work of our hands but our whole life, person, that can be turned into Christ, transformed- maybe as much as we are actively aware of God’s connection with us, his presence? Maybe these are different ways of God's presence. Why should only priests have that power to turn bread into Christ’s body, is it really only at that one moment, those five minutes of consecration? An opening of grace, God showing his face for those special moments? And then the thought that we actually eat God....scary...thoughts that cross my mind, just wondering if there are not wider circles around that mystery…probably am far off the track – am I?

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  2. Frank,
    Thanks for re-kindling in me the sense of miracle and true presence of God in the Eucharist. Manola

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  3. Anonymous,
    You are both right and wrong! If we truly belienve that the bread and wine are, for us, actually the body and blood of Jesus then we must also believe that Jesus is not only present at those special moments, but always present...that's the mystery of the Real Presence. Priest are able to perform these actions because the Church and God's whole people call them to do so...by right of their ordination. If that were not true we would not need priests...Father Frank and I would be out of work...We did not choose, we were chosen.
    And using the same metaphore as Father Frank used, we need to observe...Jesus is really present in the gathered community, in His Word read from the book of Gospels and in the dispensing of the community to bring our encounter with Christ into the world.
    Finally, the mystery is that when we eat the host we do not actually "eat God" but we partake of his presence to be in us...it is a Mystery how this happens, but it is what Catholics have always believed.
    Thank you, Father Frank, for letting me respond to this writer.
    Blessings on you all...
    Father Fred, CMF

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  4. Excellent explanation of Eucharist, bringing many thoughts all day. Thanks! I'll share two: God is so incredibly generous to give us a GIFT the He/She knew would be disregarded, ridiculed, and dishonored by some, or for those of us who should know better, only "looked at" rather than "observed"? Who can ever understand such a love?! and how can we not reapond with all that we are or can be?
    A recently baptized Chriatian once asked me why only priests can consecrate rather than all of us. My response was that it is priests that are CALLED to it. Jesus chose only twelve of the many who heard and followed Him, and it was to them that He entrusted the power to carry on this GIFT. Right?
    So grateful for your sharing!!! Blessings!

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  5. Dear Fr. Frank, You always have the best words to encourage us, to uplift us. I've learned so much from you. One thing I've learned from you is to observe, not just to watch. I learned this from you when you were here. To me to observe is to watch with your heart rather than with your eyes. The result is that what I see with my heart is different than what I see with my eyes. Actually this is not a correct statement. The things or the people we're looking at are the same, but when we look at them only with our eyes we just don’t see everything. It takes a heart to see everything.

    And about Communion, to me receiving Communion is the most sacred thing that brings us closest to GOD. This is the moment when I feel GOD within me. I feel energized. I feel I'm a burning bush. I know one thing, when for a reason or another I miss receiving Communion I feel an emptiness in me. Sometimes it happens that by the time I get in front they run out of wine. I know it is OK if I just get the bread, but without the wine I still feel an emptiness. I feel pain through my body. Dearest Fr. Frank, I'm sure many people told you in much better ways than I do…you are a burning bush in many people's lives, including mine. I thank GOD for bringing you in our lives and ask HIM to always bless you and use you for many, many more years to be a blessing for others.

    Love, Estera.

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  6. And what do we do when Eucharist is not taken for granted, when we know what a gift it is, but we're discouraged from receiving because we made a mistake years ago and divorced, or are "living in sin" because of our sexual orientation, or simply have a different political outlook than what mother church allows?

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  7. Thanks for this profound reflection on the Incarnate Word and the "enfleshment" of God in us! Your words have been a renewal of my vows as an Incarnate Word Sister! Thanks!!!

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  8. I have received the Body and Blood of Christ from many priests over the years. Only ONE ever gave it with true joy and gladness which was expressed by the joy in his eyes, the smile on his face, the reverence in his motion, the sound of his voice. You knew he really BELIEVED and he always made Communion a very special occasion whether at a daily Mass or a Sunday Mass. Just something for you to think about as a priest. Do you radiate joy and happiness or has it become a routine and naturally necessary part of the Mass? Do you, as a priest look into the receiver's eyes with the true joy and dignity beholding the receiver? Priests might want to give this some thought as well, instead of mindlessly saying "The Body of Christ" as if they were a worker on an assembly line. Just playing the Devil's Advocate. In order for us lay people to appreciate, respect, and honor the Eucharist, it is helpful to have a priest who shows by his example what the Eucharist means to him as well. To me there is no reason to "rush" through this sacrament. For the record, I have not personally received the Eucharist from you Fr. Frank, and I am in no way making a judgment on your demeanor when you do. Someday I just might though and I expect it will be a very special occasion.

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