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?