Epiphany 2005: The Eucharist, the True Epiphany

The cataclysmic tsunami disaster of South East Asia is an epiphany of the forces of mother earth. It shows forth or manifests something hitherto unseen, but always potentially present. An epiphany is not then the coming into being of something that never was, but a manifestation of something that was, but that was hidden.

The story of the three Kings who saw in the star an epiphany of the coming kingship of God is perhaps the best known part of the Christmas story itself. The majestic brilliance of the star, on the one hand, and the tender humility of the Christ-child, on the other, both fascinate and comfort us. They speak of God’s greatness and, at the same time, of his humility. The God so far and so different has become the God so near and so accessible, a paradox which we will probably never really understand.

Where can the kings of the earth today see an epiphany of the great and humble God? Where can they look to see heaven upon earth and earth enlightened by heaven? Where, indeed, can the world of the Gentiles, that is, of all those who do not yet believe in Christ, find a miracle comparable to the Epiphany? Christ will not be born again, for his mission of salvation has already been accomplished. So even if a star should appear, it will not have the same meaning as before.

Yet, there is an ongoing epiphany which Christ himself has established: it is a miracle, the greatest miracle he performed. It is an epiphany by which he again shows his greatness and his humility. By it, he again comes to us in the flesh to be our light, the light of the world. By it, he does not however receive gifts of gold, frankincense or myrrh, but gives the gift of his own humanity and divinity. As on the first epiphany, it comes through the mediation of a poor human being and dwells in a humble place, ready to be visited and adored. This ongoing epiphany, this greatest of all miracles is the Holy Eucharist, which we also call the Blessed Sacrament.

By the ministry of a human being he himself has designated, the risen and ascended Christ comes under the appearances of bread and wine. He manifests his greatness as Creator and Redeemer by using his power to assume this humble form so as to be accessible to all who come to him with faith, hope and love. In the incarnation, he became flesh. In the Eucharist, it is his risen flesh which becomes bread and wine by what is called transubstantiation, so that his flesh might be united with our flesh and ours with his. The Epiphany we recall today is but a foreshadowing of the true epiphany of the Holy Eucharist. In this gift, all others are found and summed up, for it is the Giver himself. In the adoration of this living, real, substantial presence of the Lord, the adoration of heaven itself is anticipated, where all of humanity will gaze forever upon the beauty of Christ. His humble abode is not the stable, but the tabernacle, where he remains, day and night, truly present among us in the sacrament of his humanity and divinity. The eye sees no brilliant star, but faith sees him who is himself Light from Light.

It is, then, to the Holy Eucharist that men and women of all times have, shall and must look to see the wonderful presence of Christ among us.

The question is whether or not we Catholics, to whom this treasure has been entrusted, do ourselves believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. For the light which will attract non-believers to the Eucharist is the light of faith which Christ has given to us to carry. If we do not carry it, they will not see it. We carry it in our faithfulness to Sunday Mass, when we show forth to others that the sacred memorial of the Lord’s suffering, death and Resurrection is the center of our lives, more important than any other activity or plan we might have. We show it when we ourselves believe deeply, with fire in our bellies, that the Mass is not so much a part of our lives as our lives are part of the Mass. The Mass is the act of worship by which Christ himself adores the Father in spirit and in truth and, through the ministry of priests, associates our humble selves in that divine worship. The purpose of the Mass is that we enter into holy communion with the Trinity through the Eucharist we worthily receive, so that we can be saved and shine the light of salvation upon the lives and faces of others.

In receiving holy communion we transfer the sacred host from the altar and tabernacle of the Church building into the altars and tabernacles of our own bodies, our very own selves, the living Church of Christ. By feeding our innermost selves with the body and blood of the Lord, and by a faithful welcoming of him into our most intimate life, his light shines through us, first to our families and friends, but also to those beyond. Jesus draws all things and all people to himself primarily through the Eucharist; his mysterious divine power works through us to attract others to himself, filling their hearts with wonder, as the hearts of the Magi were filled when they saw the rising star of Bethlehem. Bethlehem! The word means, “house of bread”; we might therefore say “tabernacle”, first the physical one and then the living one. We are the living Bethlehem, the living house of bread, as we are also the living star of Bethlehem, for the living bread in us shines through us.

The Eucharist must not be considered just as a holy thing. The Eucharist is the Risen Jesus himself divinizing our very flesh and blood so that he can continue his work of salvation through us. The Eucharist is, in that sense, our truest identity as human beings and as believing Catholics. The Eucharist begs from us, and empowers us to, a life-style which is itself Eucharistic. Eucharist means “thanksgiving”, a radical hopefulness by which we turn lovingly to God to thank him for everything he gives us, especially the body and blood of his Son. Imagine we all lived with thankful hearts! No more sour grapes, no more chronic complaining, no more envy and bitterness, no more hankering after what we have not or distaste for what we have. The Eucharist is the gift of Christ’s extreme love for us. Imagine we all lived in the extremity of Christ’s charity! No more pointless criticisms, no more self-doubt, no more inadequacy or insecurity, no more polemics. The Eucharist means readiness to live in and obey the truth of Christ. Imagine we all lived in holy obedience to Christ in his Church! No more lies, no more rejection of the doctrine of the faith, no more false independence or superiority. The Eucharist means living in forgiveness: forgiveness of self and others, the end of rancor and grudges, the end of long memories and prejudices.

And so it could go on. The Eucharist offers us a whole new outlook, a living and life-giving mosaic of beautiful virtues and attitudes, a unifying sense of meaning and purpose to our lives, indeed, it offers us above all a new life, the life of Christ himself, of grace, holiness and truth.

We are in the Year of the Eucharist proclaimed by the Holy Father: you can visit the Vatican website to read the document with which he made that proclamation (just google “Vatican website” and you’ll find it). Read that beautiful and simple document as a step towards renewing your faith in the Eucharist, your zeal for Sunday Mass and your resolve to live a Eucharistic life. Do more if you can. In your families, try and make sure you organize your time and your week around the Eucharist. Speak of the Eucharist to one another; parents, teach your children and make sure you yourself know and believe what you are teaching them; children, pester your parents with questions about the Eucharist, and make sure they bring you to Mass; ask them to see if, even on another day, things can be arranged to come to Mass and communion as well, or to pop into the Church for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. Couples, married or not, don’t feed your notions of love for one another on the banal and empty talk of TV, rap music, pop psychology or the internet. Seek a Eucharistic love. Come together to pray before the greatest Lover of all and the greatest source of love, here in the Blessed Sacrament. Receive his body to make holy your own bodies in mutual respect and tenderness. Give him time, alone and together. Build your love, not on the quicksand of hedonism, but on the solid rock of Christ’s charity.

All of you: do not be afraid to seek Christ out in this wonderful sacrament of the Eucharist, and do not hold back from coming to confession beforehand if you are conscious of mortal sin within you. If we want remedies to the problems of our times, there is one sure and simple way to find it: love, adore and receive the Eucharist. Thus you will draw others to Christ by the shining light of your lives, you will give the young reason to hope, you will transform from within your own home the street, block and town around you. Like the Magi and the Holy Family, you will receive opposition and even persecution from our modern day Herods: but it will mean nothing to you, if you surrender your hearts and minds to the Holy Eucharist. Have the courage to be a new Bethlehem, a new star, and you will shine brighter than any galaxy when Christ, on the last day, emerges in glory from the humility of the host to reward those who have longed for his appearing.

Msgr. Peter Magee

Epiphany, January 2^nd, 2005: St. Andrew Apostle, Silver Spring – 10.00 am