Love God. Live the Eucharist.

Browsing Blog

August 18, 2024: Open Hands

Every gesture demands a response. [Have a server come and respond to my gestures, e.g. high five, handshake, thumbs up.] You come up at communion time with the gesture of your hands open and what’s the response?

[I imitate giving communion as I say, “Body of Christ.”]

 

We have the best response ever to whatever is happening in our lives. It is the Eucharist.

 

Does anyone notice me? We get God’s answer, “Body of Christ.”

Do I matter? “Body of Christ.”

Does my woundedness take away my worth? “Body of Christ.”

What’s my net worth? “Body of Christ.”

 

You come with your questions, God answers with the Eucharist. As Jesus said in the gospel this is real food, this is true drink . . . his body and blood, not as a symbol but as a real response to your needs. Every gesture demands a response.

 

When you are handed the Eucharist, it demands a response. Your response? Go and become a saint. What? Yes too often we don’t think we are worthy. “I am not worthy.” Be a saint, even when you think you are a mess. That’s when God does his best stuff . . . its bread broken [demonstrate] its wine poured out [demonstrate]. It’s the essence of the Eucharist, for Jesus gave us this meal on the night before he would die for us. One of the low points of human history, which become one of the highpoints for all eternity.

 

You receive the power to be God’s witness, to be a saint when you receive the Eucharist. Don’t set yourself up so small. Often, when we approach the altar with our hands open to receive the Eucharist, we only ask God to get us through this situation or help with this problem. But God, who created the universe, is capable of doing great things in your life. With whatever you have going on in your life . . . ask to be a saint.

 

As Chris Stefanick said at the Eucharist Congress (where I am getting a lot of the ideas for this homily) as he said when you open your hands for Eucharist, “Ask God to unleash heaven on you, to give you the grace to become the saint that God made you to be. Don’t just ask for help to be good, ask to be a light in the darkness. Don’t just ask to hold onto faith, ask to become a river of living water flowing into a thirsty world. This is what God has in mind for you.”

 

It seems like the world is a mess. Pope Francis says, “We are in the midst of a love story.” It’s God’s love story. We come with our wounded-ness, God sees a saint, “Body of Christ.” We come scared and fearful, God sees a leader, “Body of Christ.” We come with a heart that is broken, God sees a lover, “Body of Christ.”

 

Two-thirds of God’s name is “Go.” Go be a saint, stop doing that thing, start doing more of those things. With whatever you are dealing with, you are never alone, you’ve got Jesus and a whole cheerleading squad of saints cheering you on, “Body of Christ.” As you open your hands to receive, God responds.

 

Love God. Live the Eucharist

Subscribe

RSS Feed

Archive