Homilies & Thoughts

I think one of the reasons people struggle with the idea of the Eucharist today is its simplicity. The mass has certainly undergone significant changes over the millennia. At times, it has been more elaborate and had many elements added; at other times, it has been more direct and austere. But at its heart has always been a very simple rite: sharing a meal with God himself—a basic meal that appears to be bread and wine. In our culture, and even at the time of Jesus himself, this ritual has a baffling simplicity. We want to see more because we live in a culture of spectacle.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven is a profound mystery. However, this feast is not just about honoring Our Lady; it is about contemplating the boundless generosity of God. God’s generosity is a characteristic that often escapes us. We tend to think of God as all-powerful, which he is, but we sometimes forget that his power is exercised in perfect humility and generosity. God does not hoard his glory or keep his love and joy to himself. Instead, he gives everything he has to anyone willing to accept it.

The Eucharist is life. That is what Jesus means when he says, “I am the living bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The bread he gives us, his flesh, is life. It is not a metaphor. It is not a mere symbol. It really is life, the life of heaven, and Jesus freely gives it to us. He shares with us an eternal and perfect reality simply because he loves us. He does not give us the gift of his flesh and his life because we deserve it. He does not give it to us because we are amazing and inspiring examples for the world. He gives it to us despite our many sins and failures. He gives us life to prove that he loves us. And the one and only thing he asks in return, is that we do the same, that we take the gift of life that we have received, and we give it to others.