Spiritual Communion

 Paul Murray, OP is a poet and a Dominican theologian.  I enjoy his poetry and even more than his poems, I enjoy his essays or articles, because he writes beautifully.  This is the case in this article in Australia's Catholic Voice.  The article is a few years old--during COVID.

People couldn't attend Mass, so the church told people to unite themselves spiritually to the Eucharist.  Of course, my saying this is so banal, but Father Murray explaining it makes you want to pray a Spiritual Communion.  

Spiritual communion, when it is authentic, always has at its core a desire to be one with Christ in the Eucharist.

His example is one of a prisoner on death row.  Priests to celebrate Mass are hard to come by, not only here where I live, but in Australia, where Father Murray is writing.  Actually, it's a universal problem.  The idea is that prisoners are in prison to be punished, not rehabilitated. I hope depriving Catholic prisoners of the Eucharist isn't a deliberate punishment, because that would be heinous, indeed.  But Mass hadn't been celebrated in this prison for years!  

Catholic Mass had not been celebrated in that particular part of the prison for several years. The prisoner in question, a Catholic, struck me as a very ordinary guy. All the more striking, therefore, was the strength, the force, of his desire to attend Mass and to receive the Eucharist. He asked the authorities of the prison that Mass be celebrated at least on Sundays, and he kept on asking although ordered to stop. After some considerable time, permission was granted, but only after he had suffered a great deal.

When, some months later, I celebrated Mass for him and for a small number of other prisoners on Death Row, I noticed that he wept at the moment he received the host. And, just after the Mass, when I spoke to him through the bars, I noticed that once again tears were flowing down his cheeks. He said to me: “It’s only when you are deprived of something that you realize how precious it is!”

Yes indeed, like manna in the dessert.  The Eucharistic host is spiritual food.  Jesus emphatically says that it is His Body and Blood.  John 6: 51.

The prisoner had been denied Divine Manna.  This is how many people felt when they were denied the Eucharist during COVID.  Hence, praying a Spiritual Communion was used.  The one I know is: 

Lord, since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart and dwell there forever. Amen.

Consecration in a Bakery

 If a priest goes into a bakery and says the words of consecration, what would happen?

NOTHING.  

Absolutely nothing because it's not the words, by themselves, that change the bread into the Body of Jesus.

The priest isn't saying magic words that create change.  It's the prayer of the Church, the congregation, the faith of the people--the Church, expressed in the words Jesus used at the Last Supper, that empowers the priest to act as Jesus.  It's the liturgy in prayer, not a formula of words.  

This is difficult.  We can see natural, concrete, worldly bread and wine. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit communing with these natural substances, transubstantiation occurs.  The term Transubstantiation was first used at the Lateran Council IV (1215).  Thomas Aquinas explains that the natural substances aren't reacting to physics but deeper, rather metaphysics.  It's the inside that changes, not the outside (the accidents).  Surely, it is a miracle of faith. 

When we offer the gifts at the oblation of the Mass, we are joined by Christ.  That's the only offering we can give to the Father--His Son, who is transforming not only bread and wine but all of us as the Body of Christ for the salvation of the world.

Taking Communion from the Tabernacle

 Did you know that taking Communion from the Tabernacle is a problem? It distinguishes a break between the Mass celebrant and the people.  The congregation and the celebrant are offering the Communion TOGETHER.  There usually is enough consecrated bread for all, so there isn't usually a problem.  Occasionally, the Tabernacle has to be opened for extra Communion.  This was prescribed by Vatican II and the General Instruction on the Roman Missal.

Denying Communion

 As everybody knows, I'm no theologian.  In fact, as everybody knows, I'm just a simple, old lady.  Even so, I'd like to describe my dinner table--at least my guest list.

Everyone's invited.  If I thought everyone was coming, I'd have to rent a hall, but I'm envisioning the guest list would include my immediate family. That means, those who have broken laws, don't share our political views, nor our religious views, never mind our morality.  Even so, they're family and welcome to sit at the table.

I know parents who are very authoritarian and say that in my house, it's my rules, or leave.  And don't let the door hit you on the way out!!!!

But I've seen that that doesn't bring anyone back into the fold. In fact, it just causes deeper division.

I believe hubby's and my way to be better.

BTW, if you're coming for dinner, just let me know, so I can add more to the soup. You're welcome to share what we have.

Irish Diplomacy

Fr. Chris' homily was on Christian unity.  That's what communion is.  We stand together.  We agree.  Irish diplomacy is the opposite.  Irish diplomacy says:

Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell and have him looking forward to the trip.

As Christians we aim to bring as many souls to heaven with  us as possible.  We are one with Christ.  We are all brothers and sisters in one family.  Ephesians 4: 3.

Eating and Drinking

I’m still basking in the after-glow of yesterday’s CommunionBreakfast.  It seems that for a moment in time we were all “one.”  We ate the same food and drink, and listened to the same message, and we seemed to be “one.”  We helped each other to food and drink.  We shared our thoughts.  We were all invited to become a part of each other’s’ lives.

We were in communion with one another.  Strange as it may seem, we were just extending the Mass we just attended.  At the Holy Sacrifice, where Jesus shared His Body and Blood with us:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.

…TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,

…DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

With these thoughts in mind, every time we gather to eat is an opportunity for sharing in communion, with one another.  We are blessed, indeed.

Communion

Book Club was tonight. We have a wonderful celebration at Jayne's house. We always go over to her house because she decorates so beautifully and she's a gourmet cook. Everything was wonderful except the conversation at the table. We asked one of our member's about her mother, who had recently died. She told us about how wonderful the staff was at St. Vincent's. She said, "Sister Ramona gave us all communion." We questioned ALL. She said, yes All. See, she's Episcopalian. Then she said, "To tell you the truth, the thought of Communion grosses me out!" Another friend, who I respect very much, also Episcopalian said, "Well, think of it as a tangible expression of Love." I chimed in saying that that was a good way of looking at it and then the rest of the table agreed.