Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: June 07, 2015
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This weekend the Church celebrates an important feast day: the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. It’s more commonly known by an abbreviated Latin name, Corpus Christi. In a special way this day we call to mind one of the greatest gifts which Jesus gave to us, the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist. After the offer of salvation itself, there is nothing greater that the Lord left to us. In fact, since by offering the Holy Eucharist and receiving it, we obtain sanctifying grace, it’s perfectly appropriate to say that this Sacrament is a privileged means to salvation.
For this reason, a good Catholic prizes the opportunity to participate at Mass and, if at all possible, receive Holy Communion. While attendance at Mass is required by Church law on Sundays and certain other holy days of obligation – of which Corpus Christi is one elsewhere in the world, although many years ago the bishops of the USA transferred the feast to Sunday so that more people would notice and celebrate it – any opportunity to worship at Mass or even just to pray before the Blessed Sacrament is an opportunity to draw close to the Lord.
If there’s a downside to the Holy Eucharist, it’s that it can become very familiar to us. In most places in our country it’s not difficult to find a Mass being celebrated each Sunday and holy day, and since truly deadly, mortal sin – which by definition would separate us from God not just now but for eternity – is really not that easily accomplished, the opportunity for Eucharistic worship and reception is hardly unknown. In fact, from my perspective, complacency regarding the Eucharist is the far more likely danger for us than deliberate profanation or sacrilege.
This is where the Church wisely requires us not to receive the Most Holy Eucharist unworthily. If indeed we are in a state of mortal sin, we do not receive. Beyond that, we fast for at least an hour before receiving Holy Communion. The Sacrament is given to us while in formal procession, after we have united ourselves in prayer with the sacrifice of Christ Himself. In making a slight bow toward the Lord’s Body and towards His Precious Blood before receiving, we become more physically engaged in the moment. By saying “Amen” to the words “The Body of Christ” and “The Blood of Christ,” we make a statement of faith in His Real Presence.
Of course, just because we should be consciously aware of what we’re doing when going to Holy Communion, this doesn’t mean we always are. So I’d like to make again this periodic appeal – the feast of Corpus Christi being such an appropriate time to do so! – for everyone to do their best to be more aware of the importance of the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist. Be reverent, both by external piety and inward awe. Take your time in receiving – whether in the hand or on the tongue, whether under the form of bread alone or better also under the appearance of wine, the choice always being yours – and make your prayer of thanksgiving after returning to your place a direct statement of appreciation to the Lord for permitting you to be so close to Him. Truly we can paraphrase the words of Holy Scripture in our realization: “For what other people is there that has a God so close to it as the Lord, our God?,” since He lets us take Him into ourselves in Holy Communion (see Dt 4:7)
At the conclusion of our Saturday Mass on this Corpus Christi weekend again this year, the Holy Name Societies of Baton Rouge will again be sponsoring a brief Eucharistic procession with the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the monstrance. You are very much invited to take part in this popular devotion, which will be held entirely within the Cathedral, for as the Eucharist is born in solemn procession by us, a visible sign of our faith is given, which itself strengthens us in our commitment to Christ. We do it not because it’s quaint or old-fashioned, pretty or rare, we do it because we are a Eucharistic people, aware that we are to bring Christ to others. A Eucharistic procession reminds us of this solemn responsibility which we undertook when we made our irrevocable commitment to the ways of Christ at our Baptism.
Finally, I again want to thank everyone who contributed to the wonderful celebrations last weekend. New Fathers Brad Doyle, Reuben Dykes, and Matthew Graham enjoyed a wonderful ordination celebration, and then Father Dykes offered a most inspiring First Mass of Thanksgiving here. One of the central values of the priesthood is the Most Holy Eucharist, for it is only a validly ordained priest who can change mere bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord. Our parish’s part in providing such wonderful celebrations was in itself a statement of our Eucharistic faith, something for which all of us are profoundly grateful.
In the Eucharistic Lord,