Once a young boy said to his Father, “Dad, I got suspended from school today.” “What? Why?” asked the Dad. “Well I was just having a good time, as usual and the teacher comes up to me points a ruler at me and says ‘There’s an idiot at the end of this ruler.’ So I innocently asked, ‘Which end?”
Ouch kids, not a good thing to do. It’s good to ask questions, but not like that. So I have some questions to ask of our First Communion kids. I invite them up here [invite them up to sanctuary]. This whole weekend and later in May we are celebrating kids from our parish to receive their first communion. And you know what communion is, don’t you? It’s the presence of God in the bread and the wine. Now, this is tricky because it’s NOT just a reminder of God . . . it’s really the presence of God. And God can come to us in many ways.
Let me show you an example. [Bring kids around Holy Water font] This is water that is blest. It is called Holy Water. It’s not just water, but blest water. And there are many ways that you can received Holy Water. [I sprinkle them with the blessing brush. Then I have them hold out their hands and I pour clean water into their palms.] But I want to show you another way. This is one of our new Holy Water Dispensers. [Unveil Holy Water Dispenser]. We have them at both church buildings. You see, with COVID we don’t want people touching the same water to bless themselves. But when you put your hand under this dispenser see what happens. [Have each try it].
You see it is the same element: Holy Water but we receive it in different forms. Same thing with God’s presence. We receive God’s presence in many different forms. One way is the bible. [Show the gospel book]. Who has a bible? It’s good to read it.
Another way to receive God’s presence is in the form of community. That’s why it is so good for us to be back together for Mass. For at Mass we can support each other. For example, to one kid, “Hey you won that game, that’s great.” To another kid, “Hey I heard that your Grandma is sick, I will pray for her.” It’s that coming together that is important.
And the third way is through the sacraments. All of the sacraments. But especially the Eucharist. For when we receive the presence of God in the Eucharist it’s like we are eating that energy source, that power of grace. It tells us that “All will be well again.” Like the mystic from the 15th century, Julian of Norwich, tells us, “all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
You are receiving “hope” when you receive the Eucharist. Because who here has ever had a rough day at school? Raise your hand. And who here has ever had a sad thing happen to them? Yes, we all have. And just as the Eucharist is the presence of Christ who died on the cross, we know that the story doesn’t end there. He rises from the dead. But before he died he wanted to share his life with his friends, so he had them eat blessed bread. He said that when you eat this you are eating hope, you are eating my presence that tells you that you will be OK, your day, your week will be OK.
And here’s the cool part, people constantly tell me that when they come to Mass to receive God’s presence in the bible, in community and in the Eucharist . . . their week always seems to go better. Of course it does. God is with you.
But it gets even better than that, you see, we come together not only to receive the Eucharist, but to BE the Eucharist. Just like our parish’s Mission Statement: Love God, Live the Eucharist. Just as the dispenser is the instrument to receive Holy Water. Just as the bible, or the community, or the Mass is the instrument to receive God’s presence. So are you. You, also are the instrument to make God’s presence known!
Whenever you bring hope to a situation . . . you bring God’s presence.
Whenever you bring joy to someone who is down . . . . . . . you bring God’s presence.
Whenever you listen to someone who is afraid . . . you bring God’s presence.
Every time we act like Jesus would . . . we bring God’s presence.
And if the world is going to change, to get better . . . it’s because of you. You are the vehicle, the instrument God has been waiting for. So today you not only receive Eucharist, you are invited to live Eucharist.
And remember we receive God’s presence not because we are IN a Church, but we because we ARE Church.