Seeing Jesus In The Eucharist, The Poor And Difficult People – Fr. Mark

eucharist-body-of-christ

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B

Fr. Mark Gatto

Preached: August 19, 2018

Think for a moment,  the all powerful God, the Creator of the universe, chose to become one of us, to become so weak, to be vulnerable, entering our human life and death.  This is the incredible humility of God.  It is Faith that allows us to see the face of God in this Jesus.

Jesus describes himself as the bread of life.  It is Faith that allows us to see that the Eucharist is not just bread, but the living presence of Jesus.  The humility of the all powerful God is seen in this as well, Jesus becomes so weak as to be held in our hands, in a sense to be cared by us as we are to receive with reverence.  Seeing Jesus in the bread of the Eucharist, this is Faith.

But, we are also to see Christ present in the weakness of the poor.  That also requires Faith, to find and see Jesus in the poor, in the difficult people in our life.

The person who is unemployed and in the struggles drinks too much.  Some might look at them and call them lazy and irresponsible and not deserving of our care.  Are we able to see the face of Jesus?

The person struggling with depression.  Some might look at them with no understanding and complain about their lack of effort.  Are we able to see the face of Jesus?

The person who commits murder.  Some might look and say they do not deserve to live, wanting Capital Punishment.  Our Church has stated that Capital Punishment is not the solution and that even a person who commits murder remains a human being who is capable of redemption.  Are we able to see the face of Jesus?

The person who is sick and dying with cancer.  Some do not want to see this weakness and illness.  Are we able to see the face of Jesus?

The person who is a refugee from a country or religion we are not comfortable with.  Some would want to reject them.  Are we able to see the face of Jesus?

It is possible for us when looking at human beings in difficult places in life, to see them as things, as objects, they often lose their self respect, we see them as less than human.  Our Faith calls us to find and see the face of Jesus.

Think of Jesus on the Cross, covered with blood and spittle and sweat, executed as a criminal, how difficult to see and recognize the Christ in this Jesus.

As we see the real presence of Jesus in the bread of the Eucharist, we are to see the real presence of Jesus in the appearance of human misery.

How surprising where we find and see the Christ.  In bread, in the poor.

There is  statue of a homeless man laying on a bench.  But, when you look closely at the statue you see the wounds in his hands of the crucified Christ.  Where do we fail to recognize Jesus in the people around us?

A bishop in Brazil told a story of a Sister coming a long way from an isolated hospital.  She came by foot to the bishop to tell him that they had no chaplain and he hadn’t had the joy of receiving Christ in communion for a long time.  So, first the bishop gave her communion, then he reminded her:  “Dear Sister you spend your days with the living Christ, you are there with the sick, there are Christ.  You handle Christ with your own hands.  This is another Eucharist, the living presence of Christ.”

I think some times of the spouse whose elderly husband is sick and unable to leave their home.  She is unable to get to church for Mass because she needs to stay and care for him and there is no one to relieve her.  Is she really missing communion with Jesus the bread of Life?

Jesus, the bread of life.  We need Faith to see him in the bread consecrated at this Mass.  We also need Faith to see the face of Christ in the poor, the sick, the difficult people in our life.

 

 

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