Christ become man and comes to us in the Eucharist out of love for us, a love we don’t really deserve. Let’s return this love to God, and to our neighbor.
A homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time based on readings from
Zechariah 9:9-10, Psalm 145, Romans 8:9, 11-13, Matthew 11:25-30
These readings are available at the USCCB website.
Before I begin, I want you to notice something. Did our first reading remind you of anything? Zechariah describes a king’s triumphant entry riding on a donkey. This parallels Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, also riding on a donkey. This is no accident. It is almost as though Jesus was saying, “Yes, I am the King.” A King returning in triumph and in peace.
Many of you know that I recently have been blessed with a case of the shingles. For about four weeks, I woke up several times during the night from the pain. I assure you, it was no fun at all. I was in pain, tired, and according to reliable sources, fairly grumpy. I must have been. I listened to a homilist preach about the “real presence” and every time he used that word I grew more annoyed.
There was nothing wrong with his homily. It was actually quite good. I was the phrase “real presence” that bothered me. As a philosophical term, “real presence” is fine and precise. But the term in plain language is a little too vague, and that bothered me. I think it may even obscure some of the beauty of what is going on in the Eucharist. There are many ways to understand the words “real presence” that are not the Catholic understanding. What we believe is very profound. We believe that to effect the real presence of Christ that the bread and wine actually become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.
How on earth is that even possible? Trust me, it is possible, but it takes a little bit of faith to understand it.
Real Presence and Transubstantiation
Let’s start with something a little easier to understand. Let’s start with this ambo.[1]
Our fist point: Here is where I ask the question, “Who are you going to believe? Me, or your own eyes? Or the physicists?” So what are your thoughts on this ambo? Solid or space?
The physicists tell us that on a sub-atomic level, most of what we are dealing with is space. Quantum physicist might even try to assign a probability to the space. When I touch the ambo, it feels hard. No matter how hard I try I just can’t seem to find a way to place finger into all the little spaces.
The lesson. What we perceive may not always be the whole story.
Our second point: Here is where I ask, what is the substance of the matter? I am standing behind an ambo, and philosophers refer to that as its substance. It is white, but many other things are white. It is also marble, but many other things are marble. But whatever its color or its material, ambo will only every be an ambo, a structure in a church from which the Word of God is proclaimed. That is what it truly is. That is its substance.
So now, let’s consider the Eucharist. It starts as plain bread and wine. That is its substance. That is what we see. But remember, what perceive may not always be the full story. Here is where it gets interesting. During the Eucharist prayer, what we see seems to stay the same, but what it is changes miraculously. I becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. It is not longer bread. Its very substance changes – it transubstantiates. I becomes the Body, Blood, Souls and Divinity of Christ. It remains that way until it is finally consumed. Not symbolically, but really. Do we see any change? No, not really, but remember what perceive is not the whole story.
How do we know that his is true? That is where faith comes in. In short Jesus said, “This is my Body; this is my Blood” and we believe him. There have been more than a few Eucharistic miracles along the way to help us if we have doubts, but the Church which the Holy Spirit is guiding into all truth has explained it fully as well.
All of this can be challenging to understand. But here is the good news. God reveals himself to all of us. Physics and philosophy may be helpful, but faith is what is most important. What sometimes the “wise and the learned” have trouble understanding the “little ones” grasp by faith. In the end, we know that Christ makes himself really present to us and for us. He loves us that much. He loves us so much that he condescends to come to us in Holy Communion under the appearance of simple bread and simple wine.
I am meek and humble of heart
We see this love profoundly in our gospel as Jesus speaks of being meek and humble of heart. Meekness is remaining open to entering into relationship with another, even when they have wronged you. This openness to reconciliation, to relationship can be challenging. Imagine how difficult it would be for us if God were a little less meek. As we fall, he awaits us. When we genuinely ask for forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he forgives us.
He asks us to be like him, and he helps us do exactly that. It is his help that makes the yoke easy and the burden light. All we need to do is respond to this love, ask for his help, and ask his forgiveness when we fall.
Christ become man and comes to us Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. He does this out of love for us, a love we don’t really deserve. Let’s return this love to God, and to our neighbor.
“Christ become man and comes to us in the Eucharist out of love for us, a love we don’t really deserve. Let’s return this love to God, and to our neighbor.”
[1] An ambo is a term used to describe the place from which the Word of God is proclaimed in a church. They are frequently referred to as pulpits, although they are not exactly the same.