Christ in the Mass
Last time I wrote about the Mass of my childhood and the “minimum requirements” for attending Mass in Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord. If we decided to do the least amount necessary, we would not understand how Christ is present in the liturgy.
The Church teaches that Christ is present when we gather for worship. Jesus is present in the presiding minister, that is, the priest. Christ is present in the people who have come together to pray. We are a community of believers who support one another as brothers and sisters. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt 18:20)
We learn in Chapter 1 of the Gospel of John that, In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word become flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is the Word of God. When Scripture is proclaimed at Mass, Christ is speaking to us.
Christ is especially present in the Eucharist which is his Body and Blood. In the liturgy, the bread and wine, work of human hands, become the broken Body and poured out Blood of the Lord. We receive the consecrated bread and wine to become Christ. We are sent out to be the Body and Blood of Christ in the world.
I have heard people say that they wish they could see Christ or meet Christ on this earth. We can’t see the physical body of the Jesus who lived and worked and preached 2,000 years ago. But it is wrong to say that we cannot see him or hear him today. Christ is present in the Mass and in us. Remember Jesus’ words to St Thomas who at first doubted the resurrection: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29)