The Eucharist: Power and Presence

Add to World Youth Day another momentous event this summer, the forty-ninth Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, Canada. The theme: "The Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world". Though not as high-profile as World Youth Day, Eucharistic Congresses serve an important purpose, the renewal of Eucharistic devotion, a renewal desperately needed in our day.

The theme recalls (to my mind, anyway) the "Bread of Life" passage from John 6:

I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world (48-51).

This is just a small part of the discourse in which our Lord, in every way possible and often repeating ideas, enunciates the doctrine of His presence in the Eucharist. And the more I read this passage the more my belief in this Presence is confirmed; scholars even note that the Greek verb meaning "eats" (as in "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, etc.", which occurs later) is not the verb commonly used to describe human eating but animal eating, being alternatively translated as "munch" or "gnaw". So long before Dane Cook successfully marketed Christchex, our Lord invited us to "munch" on Him!

Now since Vatican Council II, much of our discussion of the Eucharist has emphasized the missionary dimension of this sacrament; we are sent forth (Latin "missa", from which we derive the term "mass") to be Christ for others (CCC 1332). In a society that generally lacks the vocabulary to engage in serious theological discussion, our conversation about these issues often devolves into questions of "emphasis" (e.g. "We must not emphasize sacrifice over meal" or "adoration over communion", etc.). Such familiar expressions are unhelpful, and long past their expiration date. The presence and power of the Sacrament, which is the subject of this post, are inseparable. We can only be Christ for others because we have received Him (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) in the Sacrament; in the Eucharist we are conformed to Christ, thus receiving the grace necessary for Christian witness.

And that is an awesome gift.

As with World Youth Day, EWTN will provide full coverage of this event.

Here is another excellent video, which captures a Eucharistic procession for vocations in NYC. Listen well to the words of John Paul the Great.



In His peace.