Surely we have all had the experience of standing before something
that takes our breath away…
or makes us pause and simply wonder.
Natural wonders often have this effect…
The Grand Canyon…Niagara Falls…Yellowstone National Park…
Sometimes the work of human persons…
created in God’s image and infused with God-given talents…
has this effect…
Mount Rushmore, The Sistine Chapel ceiling, The Great Wall…
The natural and man-made wonders of the world humble us…
for we seem so small compared to their splendor…
and so completely incapable of fully grasping what lies before us.
The experience of encountering the beauty and the splendor of creation…
reminds us of our place as stewards of creation
and humble servants of God,
who in his wisdom has fashioned the whole world to work in harmony.
[PAUSE]
We who have been baptized into the Church…the Mystical Body of Christ…
come to this holy place…this house of God…
to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy.
We come mindful that we stand before a sacred reality that takes our breath away.
We come mindful of our calling to be humble servants of the mysteries of Christ.
We come to the wedding banquet of the Lamb of God…
the banquet in which we are guests…
and God Himself is the host.
Jesus exhorts His listeners…
“When you hold…a dinner, do not invite your friends…
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather…invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.”
Jesus says this because He Himself has done just this with us.
He has established the banquet of the Eucharist…
He feeds us the finest food our souls can receive…his own Body and Blood…
And He invites us…poor, mortal men and women…
who cannot ever hope to repay Him for His marvelous gift.
Jesus tells us…
“When you are invited…to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
Rather…go and take the lowest place…”
When we gather to celebrate the Holy Mass…
we are invited to a feast…the wedding banquet of the Lamb of God.
Before Communion, the priest elevates the Host and Chalice and says…
“Behold the Lamb of God
Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are they who are called to His supper.”
The original text actually says…
“Blessed are they who are called to the banquet of the Lamb.”
Which is a reference to the Book of Revelation, wherein it says…
“Blessed are they who are called to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.”
The Holy Eucharist is a wedding banquet…
in which Jesus Christ and His Bride the Church become one.
The priest…
who stands in the person of Christ the Head of the Church…
and consecrates the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ…
together with the faithful members of the Church…
are united in the sacrament of love with the person of Christ the Bridegroom.
The Church becomes one with Christ as she celebrates the Eucharist.
This is a mystery and a sacred event before which we are left in awe…
for such love as Christ has shown us in giving us Himself
is beyond our human power to understand.
And so we ought to come to this Altar in a spirit of great humility.
We do not come here to exalt ourselves.
We come here to praise and give thanks to Jesus Christ…
our Lord, our God, and our Savior.
It is good to reflect on our liturgical participation and ministry in terms of service.
We are not here because we have a right to be…
or because we demand a privileged place
but because we have been invited by the Lord
to share in the banquet of His love.
As priest and as liturgical ministers…
we do not exercise our roles and duties four our own glory
but for the glory of God alone.
We are not here to be seen…
but to accept our place as insignificant instruments
of what Christ desires to do in us.
To hold in our hands and receive into our bodies
the flesh and blood of the person of Jesus Christ…
ought to leave us breathless…speechless…
standing in awe and wonder.
We celebrate the Liturgy as the Church asks us to…not as we want…
out of humility…and out of love for Christ and for the Church.
I am reminded of the famous song “I Can Only Imagine” Surrounded by your glory, What will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, Or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, Or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Hallelujah,
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine…
We are surrounded by God’s glory here and now…
We stand in His presence even this morning…
We are left in awe of His goodness to us…
and we fall to our knees in adoration!
May we this day…and in every Mass we celebrate…
contemplate the sacred reality that surrounds us…
place ourselves in humble service of this great mystery…
and live our lives always mindful of the incredible love
of the God who has made us.
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