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Deacon Tom Writes ©
“Become What You Receive”
“Behold what you are, become what you receive!” These words of wisdom from St.
Augustine are intended to help us thoughtfully receive Holy Eucharist. They have been used to help us
understand this central mystery of our faith from as far back as the middle of
the fourth century. It is a daunting command. It causes us to think about the
Sacrament we are receiving. “Become Christ-like!” Isn’t that what being a disciple of Christ is all
about?
Our Catholic Faith puts the
Eucharist at the center of our faith. It is, according to our teaching, “the source and summit of our faith”. This is made evident in the Feast we
celebrate today, The Solemnity of the
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ also referred to as The Feast of Corpus Christi.
We are a sacramental people. Our
spiritual well-being depends upon our participation in the sacramental life of
the church and the grace that is derived from those sacraments. The image of
Jesus gathering his disciples into a table fellowship is pure genius. We come
to the table when we are hungry, when we need to be nourished. This is the
reality of our human existence. Jesus takes the ordinary and gives it an
extraordinary meaning by calling us to the table to be spiritually nourished,
to have our spiritual hunger satisfied and to be united to him in a communion
of hearts and desires….
Our unique Catholic
understanding of the Eucharist is that it is in essence the body, blood, soul,
and divinity of Christ. When we receive Holy Communion, we truly become one
with Christ. It is a very special moment, a time for us to reflect on Christ
dwelling within us, for us to be in awe that the maker of heaven and earth
would come and abide in us. Even
more amazing is the fact that this is his plan, not ours!
Yes, “we are what we eat,” nutritionist tells us. The challenge we face
as Catholics is to follow the instructions of St. Augustine and to “behold what we are and to become what we
receive”, members of the one body of Christ who has become for us our
spiritual food, the Bread of Life.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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