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Rev. Matthew H. Frisoni

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?
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The Catechism says something bold about the Eucharist. It calls the Eucharist "the source and summit of the Christian life" (CCC 1324). This means the Eucharist is not just one good thing among many good things the Church offers us. It is where everything begins, and it is where everything is headed.

Every grace and every sacrament flow out of the Eucharist, and that is what the Church means by "source." Everything we do as Catholics, including our prayers and our service to others, is aimed at deeper union with Christ. That union happens most fully at Communion, and that is what the Church means by "summit."

Here is the part that trips many people up. The Church is not talking about a symbol when it describes the Eucharist this way. When the priest says the words of consecration, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. This is not a reminder of or a "stand-in" for Jesus. It is Jesus, truly present. The Church calls this teaching the Real Presence, and it is not a metaphor. It is the belief that Christians have held since the earliest days of the Church, when the first believers gathered to "break bread" together.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina put it plainly: "It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass." It is easy to lose sight of how significant this really is. We go to Mass, we walk up to receive Communion, and if we are not careful, it can start to feel routine. It helps to remember what is happening in that moment. God is giving us himself, and he is not simply offering advice or a symbol of his love. He is giving us himself, completely.

This connects directly to this weekend's Gospel, where Jesus asks Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" Every time we walk up to receive Communion, we are answering that same question with our whole body, not just our words.

So here is something to try this week. The next time you are in the Communion line, take one extra second before you say "Amen." Let that word carry its full meaning. You are saying,
"I believe this is true, and I believe this
is really you."

That is not a small thing to say. It is everything.

God's peace,

Fr. Frisoni