By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • St. Josaphat Formation Center • Phoenix, AZ
“And Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.” (Mt 28:20) At the Ascension of the Lord, the disciples were noticeably shaken by His departure to Heaven – since they stood gazing heavenward for some time until an angel of the Lord had to recall their attention back to earth while assuring them of the Lord’s return in just the same way as He had departed (cf. Acts 1:11). But what until then? The Lord had commanded His disciples to go into the whole world – “like lambs among wolves” – to teach all that He had taught and to baptize people of all nations. They would each face many hardships and most would suffer even death for their efforts, but the Lord assured them that during it all, He would be with them!
When we celebrate the Feast of the Lord’s Body and Blood this month, we do so with great solemnity and joy as the most special way our Lord fulfills His promise of remaining with us – by a real, substantial and marvelous presence through the Most Holy Eucharist! Hence, He abides with us and in us.
“Do this in memory of Me,” the Lord commanded the Apostles when He instituted this wondrous Sacrament at the Last Supper and which St. Paul having received from the Lord this mystery seems to emphasize more since he repeats the admonition to “do this in memory of Me” after both the consecration of the bread and of the wine (cf. 1 Cor 11: 23-26). This “in memory of Me” is not simply a calling to mind as a recollection of past events, but rather as the Greek word for this is “amnesis” and as we translate it in English, “Do this in memory of Me,” it is ‘doing it again’ or ‘making present again.’ In the celebration of the Eucharist, the Lord is not simply present by recollection or calling Him to mind, but is made really present – the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the whole Christ, the whole Person of Christ living and glorified!
The Real Presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist is the most special way the Lord remained present with the Apostles throughout their many journeys and trials. Even in the Mamertine Prison in Rome on the Via Coloseo, is a room, at that time a cell, where legend has it that Sts. Peter and Paul were held simultaneously; tradition venerates the sacred place where they celebrated the Eucharist together even there.
So for us, too, we can and should find our strength and our comfort whether in a solitary visit to a Eucharistic Chapel or attendance at Solemn Mass with crowds of faithful – “I will be with you,” says the Lord.
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