Holy Communion

God of the Ordinary 

(I share with you a reflection on Holy Communion taken from Donal Neary SJ) 

 

 

The Eucharist has a central place in Christian life. It is unique to our faith that God becomes present in a real way in ordinary bread and wine—food for the journey of life in the bread, energy and joy for the journey of life in the wine. Bread and wine were very much part of the ordinary food of the people of Jesus’ time.

 

 

Each time we celebrate we recall in a real way the death and resurrection of the Lord. We take part in it, within our place and time. The sacrifice of Christ on the cross and his resurrection is ‘redone’ among us. It is a place and time of grace. The body of Christ is still in our churches and streets because we are there.

 

 

The Eucharist is not to commemorate something that happened many years ago. It is our faith and commitment to Christ in his people. All of us are tabernacles of the Lord, and our call is to allow God into our lives and share his message of love. It is sometimes easier to believe in the presence of the Lord in the tabernacle than among each other.

 

 

Jesus asks us to share the bread and cup to proclaim this ‘mystery of faith’ for all time. We proclaim that the Jesus of the tabernacle is the Jesus within all of us. Just as there is a light at the tabernacle, maybe we should carry a little red light in front of us to highlight that Jesus Christ dwells in each of us.