St. Matthew 26.26 |
DO YOU REALLY
BELIEVE?
Do
you really
believe that Jesus Christ Himself, real and entire, is in the Holy
Eucharist, in the Communion you receive?
Would you stake your life on
it --- because if you would not, you do not ...?
The Holy Eucharist,
the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar
... IS
...
really and truly, the Body, the Blood,
the Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ
Himself – under the appearances of mere bread and wine.
The moment the Priest utters
these words,
"this
IS
My Body" – the
bread, while appearing to remain just bread, becomes – IN FACT
– the Body of Jesus Christ ... every bit as real and
present as if you could see Him standing before you with your eyes!
The moment the Priest utters
these words,
"this
IS
My Blood" – the
wine, while appearing to remain just wine, becomes – IN FACT
– the Blood of Jesus Christ ... every bit as real, every
bit as present, as if He were standing before you ... because He is!
The Holy Eucharist is not a
symbol.
It is not a mere
commemoration.
It is not merely a communal meal,
although many appear to make it so.
It is Jesus Christ.
The Church has taught this
from the beginning – for over 2000 years ... because Jesus taught it
to the Church at the Last Supper.
Again, I ask you: Do you really believe?
Next time you go to
Communion, ask yourself this one question:
"If today,
if this once, I
could really and truly see Him with my eyes – would I behave any
differently from the way I usually do?"
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If you answer, "yes" –
what would you do?
Even were you the only
one to see Him, you would care nothing of appearing to make a fool of
yourself ... and fall to your knees! You know it!
If you answer, "no"
(remember, seeing Him with your eyes!), then you are more than a fool,
for even a fool would not be insolent before God.
Now ask
yourself --- from the depths of your being: "Do I really believe"?
Do not worry about setting
precedents. Judas put his lips to Our Blessed Lord 2000 years ago ...
"on the night he betrayed him."
You cannot do worse, although you could choose to do far better ...
I do not presume to admonish
you, St. Paul does:
"Therefore whosoever shall
eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be
guilty of the body and of the blood
of the Lord ... For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks
judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.
" (I
Corinthians 11.27-29)
The question, then, still
stands after all ... doesn't it?
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