-Last Sunday's homily is in the library->
-This Sunday's scriptures are at USCCB.org->
-I am preaching at the 9:30am Mass on Sunday
State of the (comm)Union
St. Paul reminds us that we are "in Christ". In fact, throughout the corpus of Pauline scriptures he uses that expression 166 times. How is that working out for you? That's my question.
In a talk on the Eucharist (available in the library 'January 18, 2011') I was discussing the Communion procession as one of the four processions of the Mass(entrance, Gospel, Offertory, Communion). I asked the folks if they knew they were in a procession at Communion time and if so how did it feel, how was it made a procession for them. I suggested that for most they are thinking that they are "just in the communion line". Just waiting in line to get Communion rather than "a procession of the faithful in Communion moving together as one body, in song, in unison, in love, in one direction, with one purpose within the Communion Rite". In Christ.
Is Christ in You through your sharing in the Sacrament, Holy Communion? Are you in Christ as a sharer in the Sacrament of the Church, the Body of Christ? This is what makes us Catholic - not simply that we RECEIVE Communion but that we ARE Communion in Christ. I am afraid this lack of understanding and appreciation of it is why so many of us don't feel our salvation. Could our experience of God be transformed by the conversion of our minds and hearts to the fuller understanding of what is Real? I think so.
3 comments:
I SO love to talk about GOD, that posting, knowing that one is really not anonymous, doesnt stop me from posting. Guess i don't care. How funny is that. :) So --
Your question: How is that working out for me? I suspect, not so good because I don’t even know what that really means… being “in Christ”.
Having admitted this, I want to say that I really am oh, so grateful and praise God counting on what He said that, ‘He will be with me always’. Does this even get close to what that means? I don’t think so.
I love Him so much that reaching back for Him well, I have no control over that. Although I am aware, not without ‘something’ that holds part of me back.. keeping me from giving all of me. I don’t like that, and I am working on it… and maybe someday, in His time, HE will allow me, show me, make me, etc., give it all. If I could just simply do that – maybe I could get closer.. maybe I could be “in Christ”.
Personally, when I think, or perhaps believe, (or imagine? – wow, do I ever really get there) that I am in (a state of?) Communion with Christ, everything looks so different to me. Vulnerable is one word that comes to mind. There it is again, that part of me not giving it all up.
Is this part of what He meant when He said, “don’t be afraid”. I don’t know… that’s such profound instruction.
Have you ever really -- I mean really -- looked at anybody after sharing in Communion. Most people don’t or won’t look back. We really are connected through/in/with Christ. Communion is such an intimate experience. Is this Heaven in this world, Heaven on Earth?
Without denying the joy, why is it so painful?
Although I believe that most psychologists/psychiatrists would have a field day with this one. . . Real - to me, it’s in detachment somewhere. That’s where Real is. That’s where the Truth is.
this is meaningful for those who go to mass to be entertained as a way to begin to show them the beauty of the Eucharistic celebration as well as for myself who really loves every part of the mass yet I must admit that this brings me to an entirely new dimension of communion. I have deep feelings of being "in Christ" and Christ in me after communion but have never thought about the procession as part of the holy experience. My son who goes for "the homily" and has not developed the appreciation of the mass yet will provide me with how this impacts a sincere but not appreciative Cathoilc.
As to people not making eye contact after receiving Communion, my third grader always smiles. As for processing, she always wants to turn to see who is processing. I think we adults also want to, but remain facing the altar singing and trying to prayerfully center down. However, why is it that at wedding we turn to face/receive a bride and her attendants coming down the aisle and we do not do the same for Christ?
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