His Mass and

Ours

Series Preface

The volumes in NCP's “7 x 4” series offer a meditation a day for four weeks, a bite of food for thought, a reflection that lets a reader ponder the spiritual significance of each and every day. Small enough to slip into a purse or coat pocket, these books fit easily into everyday routines.

New City PressHyde Park, New York

His Mass and Ours

Meditations on Living Eucharistically

Brendan Leahy

Published in the United States by New City Press202 Comforter Blvd., Hyde Park, NY 12538www.newcitypress.com©2012 Brendan Leahy

Cover design by Durva Correia

Many of the experiences of life recounted in these pages have been published in Living City magazine and slightly edited for the purposes of this book.

Bible citation are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal in The Roman Missal (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2011), 13-87.

General Introduction to the Lectionary in Lectionary for the Mass (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2002), Vo. III, xiii-xlv.

50th International Eucharistic Congress Theology Committee, The Eucharist: Communion With Christ and With One Another, Theological and Pastoral Reflections in Preparation for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress (Dublin: Veritas, 2010).

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:A catalog record is available from the Library of Congress

Printed in the United States of America

Contents Introduction ............................................................. 7

The Introductory Rites

1 On the Way to Mass ............................................ 1 1 2 Take a Look Around! ............................................ 13 3 Gathering Together ..............................................15 4 United in Jesus Christ ......................................... 17 5 Entering into God ................................................ 19 6 Starting Again .......................................................21 7 Collecting Our Prayers ....................................... 23

The Liturgy of the Word

1 The Power of the Word ........................................27 2 TheOldTestament’sSurprisingRelevance .. 29 3 ThePsalmGivesUsaVocabulary ....................31 4 ExpressingNewTestamentPerspectives ....33 5 TheGospel.............................................................35 6 Being of One Mind ..................................... 37 7 LivingtheWord .....................................................39

one

two

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

1 ADropofWater .................................................. 43 2 God Has a Plan for Me ...................................... 45 3 LiftUpYourHearts! ...........................................47 4 ListentotheVoiceoftheSpirit .................... 49 5 Amen and Forgive! .................................................51 6 Peace .......................................................................53 7 Saying“Yes”toWhatWeAre.......................... 55

The Concluding Rites

1 AWordbeforeWeGo— Our Personal Prayer of Thanksgiving .............59 2 Sent Out to Transform the Humdrum intotheSpecial .................................................... 61 3 StartingwithThoseNexttoUs ....................63 4 Make Unity our Priority .....................................65 5 Learn from Jesus Crucified and Forsaken .. 67 6 The Social Dimension of the Eucharist in Economics and Politics ......................................69 7 Transforming the Cosmos ..................................71

four

three

7

Introduction

When Jesus Christ makes a promise he is faith-ful to it. His words, therefore, relayed in the Gospel of Matthew, “Remember, I am with you always” (Mt 28:20) provide us with great hope. We have not been left orphans. He is with us.

How is he with us? There are many “presences” of Jesus Christ. He is present in his word, in our neighbor, in the poor, in the hierarchy, but especially in the community that gathers in his name (“Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” [Mt 18:20]). A particular moment of such gathering is the Mass.

On the one hand, the Mass is clearly “his.”1 At the Last Supper he gave us the great gift of the Eu-charist, a Paschal banquet, in order to perpetuate his sacrifice of the cross until he comes again. In his divine-human imagination he found a way to re-main with us in this bond of love wherever we may be. As a Vatican II document puts it, he entrusted us with “a memorial of his death and resurrection, a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace and a pledge of future glory is given to us.' ”2 We can never be thankful enough for this gift.1. The title of the book has been inspired by a meditation written by

Chiara Lubich; see Chiara Lubich, Essential Writings: Spirituality, Dialogue, Culture (New York: New City Press, 2007), 130–131.

2. The Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Liturgy, Sacro-sanctum Concilium, n. 47.

8

On the other hand, the Mass is also “ours.” At every Mass we gather around the priest, who sacramentally represents Jesus Christ, Head and Bridegroom of the Church. The Church is his Body-Bride. As members of that Body–Bride of Christ, we exercise the “common priesthood of all the faith-ful,” uniting ourselves with his self-giving and letting ourselves be shaped, in the power of the Spirit, into deep communion with him and with one another.

After celebrating the Eucharist, we continue our Mass in the bits and pieces of everyday life. The Mass sends us out to live Eucharistically, to be “other Christs,” serving our brothers and sisters, working for their sanctification, and praying for them. By living the three communions — with the word, with our neighbor, and with the Eucharist — we allow Jesus Christ to continue the work he wants his gift of the Eu-charist to accomplish, shaping families and peoples, tribes and nations, cities and the cosmos according to the dream that he shared the night before he died: “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).

The reflections that follow examine this dual di-mension of the Mass – Christ's gift and our existential participation, his action and our daily co-operation. They are organized according to the elements of the Mass — the gathering, the liturgy of the Word, the liturgy of the Eucharist, and the concluding rite. In each reflection, experiences of life, past and pres-ent, illustrate the living, communitarian meaning of the Eucharist.

The Introductory RitesEstablishing Unity

“As grain, once scattered over the mountains has been gathered together to be made one, so gather your Church together from the ends of the earth into your Kingdom”

Didache, IX, 4; Sources Chrétiennes, 248, p. 176

“The rites that precede the Liturgy of the Word, namely the Entrance, the Greeting, the Penitential Act, the Kyrie, the Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest), and Collect, have the character of a beginning, an introduction, and a preparation. Their purpose is to ensure that the faithful, who come together as one, establish communion and dispose themselves properly to listen to God's word and to celebrate the Eucharist worthily.”

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 46

11

On the Way to Mass“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship… Let love be genuine … love one another with mutual affection” (Rom 12:1, 9–10).

ReflectionRecent years have found increased emphasis on

conscious, active and fruitful participation at Mass. This applies to those with specific parts to play in the celebration (the priest, the acolytes, the read-ers, the choir, the extraordinary ministers) as well as to every person who attends. Active participation doesn't switch on as we walk through the door of the church! The way we spend our week (or day, for those who go to Mass daily) is also our prepara-tion for Mass. Living the gospel and bringing Jesus' love into the lives of our neighbors and the wider society opens us to the gifts the Eucharist contains. In coming together to celebrate the Mass we then prayerfully unite ourselves with Jesus' loving self-giving sacrifice. With all that we are, we unite our mind and heart with the spoken prayers.

12

Experience of LifeOn the third day, after Jesus' death on the cross,

two disciples are walking along the road to Emmaus, downcast after all that happened to them. As they travel they meet a “stranger.” They tell him their story. The “stranger” points out they haven't nour-ished their faith enough by reflecting on Scripture. They invite him to stay and eat with them. They recognize that the “stranger” is — Jesus. The meal they celebrate has the characteristics of a Eucharist.

This Emmaus story shows what's needed to pre-pare for Mass — keep in touch with the Word of God during the week, welcome and recognize Jesus in the neighbors who pass by in the present moment of life, and be open to the gift of the Eucharist.

The Liturgy of the WordBeing Built Up in the

Power of the Word

26

“The Word of God constantly proclaimed in the Liturgy is always, then, a living and effective word through the power of the Holy Spirit. It expresses the Father's love that never fails in its effectiveness toward us.”

“… it is from the continued use of Sacred Scrip-ture that the people of God, docile to the Holy Spirit under the light of faith, is enabled to bear witness to Christ before the world by its manner of life.”

General Introduction to the Lectionary, 4 and 12

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Is 55:10-11

27

The Power of the Word“And now I commend you to God and to the Word … that has power to build you up …” (Acts 20:32).

ReflectionThe Word of God is no ordinary word. It can

change our way of thinking, our willing and our loving. In saying farewell to the elders of Ephesus whom he knew he would not see again, St. Paul entrusted them to the power of the Word of God. St. Jerome famously wrote that “ignorance of the Scrip-tures is ignorance of Christ.” The Church has always had readings from Scripture at Mass and has been convinced that the Word and the Body of Christ we receive at communion must be honored equally. For instance, the bishop-theologian Caesarius of Arles commented: “Tell me, brothers and sisters, what do you think is more important: the Word of God or the Body of Christ? If you want to respond well, you must without doubt say the Word of God is not less than the Body of Christ…. If we are so careful when we are handed the Body of Christ so that nothing of it may fall to the ground from our hands, ought we not take equal care so that the Word of God, that is offered and given to us, might not escape our heart, something that would happen if we are thinking of something else? It is not less culpable to listen negli-

28

gently to the Word of God than out of neglect to let the Body of Christ fall to the ground.”

ExperienceofLifeHearing the Word of God has been compared to

a bridegroom coming to meet his bride. St. Bernard shares just such an experience: “If I feel my spirit opening to the understanding of Scriptures, words of wisdom emerge in abundance from the depths of my heart, and if the light that is infused from above reveals mysteries to me … then I no longer doubt the arrival of the Bridegroom.” With those who travel with us in the power of the Word, Mass is a privileged opportunity, in the power of the Spirit, to open our heart in dialogue with Jesus, the Word of Life and the “pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (see Heb 12:2).

33

Expressing New Testament Perspectives

“Be doers of the word … not hearers who forget but doers who act — they will be blessed in their doing” (Jas 1:22–25).

ReflectionIn addition to the four gospels, the New Testa-

ment contains twenty-three other documents, many of them letters from St. Paul that shaped the early Christian communities. These are read in continu-ous sequence each Sunday. Unlike the first reading, which usually has been chosen to fit in with the theme of the gospel, the second reading continues from the previous week with a passage from a spe-cific New Testament letter. These readings offer in-spiration, challenges, and new directions for action.

ExperienceofLifeAndrea P. works at a large law firm. When the

United States Supreme Court issued a decision that weakened regulations concerning late-term abor-tions, an e-mail sent to “all attorneys” announced that some aspects of the decision could be consid-ered a “victory” for the firm. The tone of the e-mail,

34

like the tone of some of the conversations in the office, reinforced the mentality that, “If you work for this firm then you must be on the only 'rational' side of the abortion issue.”

That evening, after talking things over with friends outside the firm, Andrea came to the conclu-sion that she really ought to express her disagree-ment. The next day she composed a one-line e-mail to “all attorneys”: “On such a sensitive topic, I think it might be important to acknowledge that some of us at this firm read this not with a sense of 'victory,' but of profound and terrible sadness.”

That short message provoked a firm-wide bliz-zard of e-mail exchanges that when printed made up a three-inch stack. They included an apology from the partner who sent the initial e-mail. The policy committee formulated a resolution for han-dling such issues, acknowledging an awareness of diverse opinions in the firm.

This marked a moment when Andrea realized just how much room there is—even in a large law firm — to express perspectives and principles based on the New Testament. Moreover, such a perspec-tive might even be perceived not as an obstacle, but as a service to the larger conversation within the firm.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Joining with Jesus Christ in Confessing the Great Deeds of God and in the

Offering of Sacrifice

42

“At the Last Supper Christ instituted the Paschal Sacrifice and banquet, by which the Sacrifice of the Cross is continuously made present in the Church whenever the Priest, representing Christ the Lord, carries out what the Lord himself did and handed over to his disciples to be done in his memory. For Christ took the bread and the chalice, gave thanks; he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, say-ing, “Take, eat, and drink: this is my Body; this is the cup of my Blood. Do this in memory of me.” Hence, the Church has arranged the entire celebration of the Liturgy of the Eucharist in parts corresponding to precisely these words and actions of Christ.”

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 72

43

A Drop of Water“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits” (Ps 103:2).

ReflectionAs the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins, gifts

of bread and wine are brought to the altar. These simple elements are signs of the gifts of creation that God has given to us and that our work and creativity have helped to form. A collection for the poor or for the church is also brought up. The offertory blessing prayer echoes the Jewish berakah, a thanksgiving blessing to God. As the priest prepares these gifts, he adds a drop of water to the chalice of wine. This can be understood as signifying our humanity being united to Jesus Christ's self-offering. The bread, wine and water are signs that we are involved in what is sometimes called a “cosmic liturgy,” that is, the whole of creation's movement towards its ultimate goal — the transformation of the cosmos and the glorification of God. Even our tiniest efforts have a place in this great plan. Indeed, once united with Jesus' self-offering our good deeds and our suffer-ings, as small as they are, take on infinite value. The water and wine will be transformed.

44

ExperienceofLifeCardinal Van Thuan spent thirteen years in a

Vietnamese prison, much of it in solitary confine-ment. The day after his arrest in 1975, he was permitted to write to his family to ask for essentials like clothing, toothpaste and medicine. “Please, send me some wine, as medication for my stomach ache,” he wrote. The family also concealed some hosts among his clothes. “Do you have a stomach ache?” the guard later asked him. “Yes.” “Here is your medicine.” The Archbishop was overjoyed. Every day he celebrated Mass holding three drops of wine and one of water in the palm of his hand. These Masses, he later commented, became “the happiest Masses of his life.” Each of us too, as the water is added to the chalice, is given a chance to add what is uniquely ours (life, family, environment, personal issues) to the wine that will be transformed.

55

Saying “Yes” to What We Are

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever” (Jn 6:50–51).

ReflectionIn the Eucharist, the Body of Christ is truly and

substantially present. By saying “Amen” when we receive Holy Communion, we assent to belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Eucha-rist, as Thomas Aquinas explained, does for the life of the spirit all that material food and drink does for the life of the body. It sustains, builds up and restores us spiritually. Since it is bread from heaven, Ignatius of Antioch described the Eucharist as the “medicine of immortality.” St. Augustine underlines another dimension. He says that when the minister places the host before us and says “the Body of Christ,” we indeed are being asked to affirm the real presence, but we are also being asked, “Are you the Body of Christ?” That is, “Are you one with Christ and with his brothers and sisters?” And if we can reply “Amen,” then we can nourish ourselves with the Body of Christ because that is what we are! We are the mystical body of Christ, the Church, receiv-

56

ing the body of Christ in the Eucharist. Augustine says that we receive what we are and we are to be-come what we receive. Our “Amen” as we receive Communion is, therefore, a continuation of the great Amen we pronounced just a few moments previ-ously when we affirmed our unity with the Pope, our local bishop, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in the Church. Receiving communion isn't a private, individual act. It isn't just an assent to the real presence. It is receiving the One who makes us all one. In receiving Christ we become more deeply members of the Body of Christ.

ExperienceofLifeTeresa of Avila pointed out that if for whatever

reason you cannot receive communion or cannot get to Mass you can make a spiritual communion, uniting yourself spiritually with the Mass, offering the suffering of not being able to go to communion. You might say something like, “Jesus, I cannot re-ceive you today, but spiritually I unite myself to you and all that the Mass means.”

The Concluding RitesSent Out to the World,

So That All May Be One

58

“To the Concluding Rites belong the following: … the Priest's Greeting and Blessing …; the Dis-missal of the people by the Deacon or the Priest, so that each may go back to doing good works, prais-ing and blessing God.”

General Introduction of the Roman Missal, n. 90

“ ‘God built humanity so that humanity might build for him’: churches, yes, but also societies, cul-ture, the visible or invisible networks which sustain a ‘Eucharistic’ relationship between human beings and the earth. God comes near to us unendingly in the bread of life, the food of resurrection. Everything has to be built up round this seed of fire.”

Olivier Clément, The Roots of Christian Mysticism, 125

61

Sent Out to Transform the Humdrum into the Special

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …” (Mt 28:19).

ReflectionIn the Eucharist Jesus Christ comes to us full of

love, grace and power. But the effect of the Eucha-rist extends beyond the liturgy itself. The Mass con-cludes with us being sent out: “Go forth; the Mass is ended.” One of the greetings of dismissal tells us what we have to do: “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.” We are asked to carry that love and adoration we feel so deeply after Communion into our world, transforming every moment of life into something special. Having been made one through the Eucharist, we leave the Church and go our separate ways, each of us to be an expression of that oneness, to be “another Christ” wherever we go. In this way, we let Jesus' transforming power change everything — the big things of life as well as the little. Jesus' transforming action in the Eucharist be-gins within the individual but cannot be contained. Pope Benedict XVI affirms: “His dynamic enters into us and then seeks to spread outwards to others until it fills the world…. This intimate explosion of good

62

… can then trigger off the series of transformations that little by little will change the world.” The Mass may be ended, but the Eucharist has initiated in us a process of transformation that, if we let it, gathers momentum.

ExperienceofLifeOne day Judy, a housewife and mother, was half-

heartedly going about the daily round of picking up the laundry, wondering whether to wash the floors, and resenting the need to go shopping. In the middle of her discouragement, a line of Scripture that she had been trying to live out during the month, came back to mind: “Over all these virtues put on love” (Col 3:14). In a flash, she realized that every one of those dreaded duties contained an opportunity to allow God to be more present around her. She had longed to bring God's love to the world but had not realized how often she overlooked the opportunities she had been given. It was as if God were saying, “Your daily life, Judy, can be a fountain of love for many.” She only had to supply the effort. So, with fresh enthusiasm, she tackled the dirty socks and found a deep joy in transforming the humdrum into something special.