Most Holy Eucharist; The Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Acts 11:19-30; John 6:48-54; Luke 10:16-21
Feast of our Lord. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Apostles’ Fast.
Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Today, our Church asks us to turn our attention to the incredible Mystery of the Eucharist—the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul’s words to us today should strike into us a certain fear about the Eucharist. He says that anyone who ‘eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.’
We are all aware of our own sinfulness and unworthiness before God. Nothing unholy can approach the All Holy. How are we to approach the Chalice and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ then? Do I not always profane the Body and Blood of Christ then?
The Latins have a helpful phrase for this. Immediately before receiving Communion at the Roman Mass, the faithful say ‘Lord, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof, but only say the word and I shall be healed.’ Here lies the key to our dilemma: we are not holy by means of our own efforts. We are made holy by Christ.
Yes, we need to examine ourselves before approaching the Chalice. Yes, if we have sinned seriously, we need to confess ahead of communion. Yes, we need to direct our hearts and minds to Christ as we participate in the Liturgy and in our daily lives. However, none of this makes us truly holy. Only Christ can make us holy. And he gave us His Body and Blood as our food for our life of journeying towards holiness: His Body and Blood.
When we receive Christ with the right heart and intention, we become Him.