Beauty. Liturgy. Song. Prayer.
Mass of the Lord's Supper.
So many thoughts, so many joys and sorrows. Words are inadequate to describe the power of the experience. From the washing of the feet, to the Eucharist, the richness of Scripture and Tradition was repeated. "Do this in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11. "....that as I have done for you, you should also do." John 13. What power is present when we fully enter into these Sacred Mysteries. Are we even able to fully comprehend the boundless depths of God's love for us? In sharing of ourselves and opening our hearts to God, we catch a mere glimpse of the joy of Heaven. And from my glimpse tonight, it is a beautiful thing.
In every Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the offering of our gifts. But this is much more than the monetary contributions we make. What comes forward, to the altar, from us, the People of God, is our very self. We are called to offer the entirety of our being, bumps, bruises, hurts, joys, and triumphs. On the surface, this seems like a laughable offering. Who would want my struggles, my pain, my sadness? God does. I believe God yearns to be given every part of my messy, chaotic life. During the offering, we are given the chance to unite our seemingly meager 'gifts' with the One, Perfect Lamb of God. For it is only through Christ's gift of salvation that we are redeemed.
As I sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I ponder Jesus' agony. "Could you not keep watch for one hour?" From the Gospel of Mark. I realize that this invitation is not a once-a-year event. We are constantly called to communion with God. Sadly, our lives are filled with distractions and busy-ness that take our eyes from our true prize: Jesus. It is when we still our hearts that we can hear God calling us by name.
Tonight, at the Institution of the Eucharist, let us pray wholeheartedly, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."
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