Today we heard from the Gospel of Saint John concerning the multiplication of the loaves and fish. This passage serves as a foreshadowing of the Eucharist. Therefore, when Christ feeds the multitude He is not only taking care of their bodily hunger, but also their spiritual need. Not only does the body need to be fed if it is to survive, but so too must our soul be nourished by Christ.
In the past few months there has been a lot of controversy concerning an upcoming document on the Eucharist from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops. Sadly, it seems that we have bought into this being a political issue and have already set up a roadblock to this being an important document. I have yet to read this document as it is not yet written, but I believe that nothing within it will be shocking. What will come out of it is the clear teaching of the Church which is already very apparent to us from the pages of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In this day and age we have slowly had an erosion on our understanding of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and the effect that sin has upon this relationship. In a 2019 poll of American Catholics it was found that only 31% of American Catholics believed in Transubstantiation. This left 69% of the American Church who held it to only be a symbol of the Lord’s presence. It is no wonder that there is a need for this document to reaffirm to the faithful what has always be held as true concerning the Eucharist.
Bishop Stika recently released a pastoral letter on the Eucharist entitled, “Sin and the Worthy Reception of the Holy Eucharist.” I would highly recommend that all the faithful of the diocese read his pastoral letter and reflect upon it. For those who fear of length, it is only seven pages. In this document he never points the finger to a political party, but leads us into further reflection to the importance of the Eucharist and the effect that sin has upon us and the community.
To go back to our Gospel we see the importance of eating. The well can eat easily while the dead cannot eat. So too when it pertains to the Eucharist for those in the state of mortal sin are unable to receive the gift of grace when they partake of the Eucharist without first being moved to the sacrament of confession and being healed from their sin through Christ’s infinite mercy.
As Bishop Stika concludes his pastoral letter: “If the Church speaks out, as I also must as shepherd of this diocese, it is to awaken the consciences of those who are spiritually dead in their grave sin and to call them to repentance. It is to call those who are obstinate in their grave sin and who have become false prophets leading others into grave evils and the loss of eternal salvation. The truth can be ignored, but as what cost? We are all sinners and in need of the mercy and healing that God will never withhold unless, as the prophets warned, we remain “hard of heart.” So, if we choose to ignore the seriousness of mortal sin and the need of sacramental confession prior to receiving Christ in the Eucharist, the same terrible and tragic words will echo that Jesus spoke to Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Friend, do what you have come for.” Such is the sacrilege we commit. But may we hear instead, in preparing ourselves to worthily receive Our Lord and bridegroom in the most Holy Eucharist, the joy of Christ: “Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates.”
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