[Editor's Note: This article is the second in a series of articles celebrating the Year of the Eucharist. Click here to read the first article.]
Every Sunday, millions of people around the world participate in Mass. While a particular liturgical celebration may have a lector who mumbles, a boring homily, or off-key music, most who are in the congregation don’t mind. They tend to be very patient and forgiving because they have come to Mass, first and foremost, to receive the Eucharist. It’s the Bread of Life that draws them, and it’s the Bread that continues to draw them back — over and over again.
In the first article in this series, we looked at God’s plan to feed us with his bread — a plan he formed before we were even created. Following John 6, we reflected on the Eucharist as a matter of life and death (John 6:53-54). We also saw how the Eucharist is God’s greatest gift, allowing all who partake of it to internalize Jesus. Finally, we suggested imagining ourselves approaching the Eucharist like St. Peter, saying: “Where else can I go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Let’s look at some more scriptural images in the hope that they might give us even more insight into the gift of Jesus’ Body and Blood. This time, let’s focus on seeing Jesus through the grace of revelation as we receive him at Mass.
Drawn to Jesus
Revelation is the word we use to describe God’s work of enlightening our minds and filling our hearts. Like his desire to feed us with his wisdom and grace, God’s desire to reveal himself to us stretches back to the very beginning of time.
Think for a moment. Do you believe that nothing can separate us from the love that God wants to give us right now (Romans 8:37-39)? Do you believe that the path to God is always open? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit joins with you when you pray, always convincing you that you are a beloved child of God (8:16)? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit is in you, showing you how to love Jesus and please him (John 16:13)? Do you believe that Jesus is in you, helping you think and choose and act the right way (Philippians 2:13)?
These passages from Scripture show us how very much God loves us. They show us how he is constantly at work on our behalf, sending us hundreds, even thousands, of encouraging, uplifting, and inspiring thoughts every single day. Not a day goes by that God doesn’t work on our behalf.
Near the end of his ministry, Jesus told his disciples, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32). In one sense, this promise is fulfilled every time we receive the Eucharist. When we eat the Bread of Life, God our Father draws us to his Son. He opens our spiritual eyes and gives us his grace. In fact, the Greek word for “draw” that is used in this verse also means “drag” or “carry.” God is willing to go to extreme lengths to bring us to himself. He will even carry us when we are too weak or too hurt to draw ourselves to him. That’s how much he loves us! How does Jesus draw us to himself? With unconditional love, boundless mercy, and heavenly wisdom.
The Moment of Revelation
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus walked — disguised — with two disciples for a time. It wasn’t until they broke bread together that he finally revealed himself to them (Luke 24:30-31). At first, he was with them but remained hidden. So often, this is the case with us. We look for Jesus, but we cannot see him. We seek him, but we cannot find him. We listen for his words, but we cannot hear him.
The disciples were having their doubts about the resurrection, and Jesus began to confront these doubts. Beginning with Moses, he used Scripture to explain how everything that was written about the Christ would come true. As he taught them, Jesus was drawing both of these disciples to him. Just as we described the apostles in the previous article, these two disciples saw Jesus, they touched him, and they heard him. Their hearts were even burning for God. But amazing as it may sound, their eyes were opened only when Jesus blessed the bread and broke it.
Jesus wants to teach us. Through the Holy Spirit, he wants to take everything that he taught his apostles and give it to us as well. He wants to give us God’s secret wisdom so that we can have “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). Just as it sounds amazing in the Emmaus story, it is just as amazing today that our eyes can be opened as ordinary bread is transformed into the body of Christ and broken for all of us to see.
Compelled to Work for God
It was nightfall. The two disciples had just been on a long journey filled with animated, challenging conversation. Most likely they were tired. Yet once Jesus revealed himself to them, they did not go home to rest. Instead, they turned around and immediately returned to Jerusalem. They found Peter and the others and told them how Jesus had walked with them, and how they had recognized him when they broke bread together (Luke 24:33-35).
This night journey of these two disciples illustrates one of the great works of the Eucharist: It compels us to serve Jesus. These two disciples were so full of joy that they had to go and tell others what they had just experienced. Jesus wants to convince all of us that he is the risen Lord — especially as we receive the Eucharist. When our eyes are opened and we see Jesus for who he is, we too will feel compelled to serve him.
On another occasion — also after Jesus had risen — some of the apostles were coming back from a fruitless fishing expedition. They saw a man on the shore of the lake. It was Jesus, but they didn’t recognize him. He told them to cast their net once more, and they would find some fish (John 21:6). When they did, they caught so many fish that their nets were straining. It was then that one of the disciples recognized that it was Jesus. When they came ashore, they saw that he had prepared breakfast for them.
Before they ate, Jesus broke some bread and gave it to them (John 21:13). In this little gesture, Jesus was telling the apostles: “Know that I am with you, ready to help you and ready to feed you as you feed my sheep” (21:15-17). There is a simple pattern we see in Scripture that this story follows as well: “When we take and eat what Jesus gives to us, we are compelled to go out and give it to others as Jesus leads us.” He wants us to collect everyone — the poor and the rich, the educated and uneducated, the young and the old. He wants us to bring everyone to him, confident that he is always with us, guiding us and empowering us, even until the end of time (Matthew 28:19-20).
While it’s obvious that this story from John has to do with the spiritual “work” of service and evangelism, we can also say that Jesus wants to help us in our work in the world. Presumably, the apostles were fishing because they needed food or money or both. When Jesus appeared to them, he offered to help them in their jobs. In the same way, Jesus wants to bless our efforts at work. He wants to help us — not so that we will become rich or famous but so that we can become his witnesses in the workplace. He wants to help us provide for our families. He wants to give us enough so that we can be generous with the poor and needy. He wants to see our jobs become opportunities to develop the gifts and talents he has given to us. In all these ways, he wants to help us become like him.
Be Alert
Let’s suppose that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus saw Jesus, invited him to walk with them, but, as he started to explain Scripture to them, lost interest. Maybe one was eager to get home, and the other was preoccupied with his job. What would have happened? This event would probably have never been recorded in Scripture, because nothing special would have happened.
Brothers and sisters, without careful listening, we will not see God. We will not recognize him — even after we eat the Bread of Life. And if we don’t hear the Lord’s revelation, how are we going to know when and where to cast our nets? When we are distracted we fill our minds with the cares and concerns — and the temptations — of this world. We limit what Jesus wants to do through us because we haven’t been attentive to the way his body and blood can transform us.
But this didn’t happen to the two disciples on the road. And it didn’t happen to the apostles in the boat. They were attentive, they listened, and they obeyed. Jesus wants to do this very same work in us. He wants to reveal himself as we eat the Bread of Life, and he wants to see us give away everything that he has given to us.
(This article comes from the May 2005 issue of The Word Among Us devotional magazine. Used with permission. It is part of the sponsorship of the Catholic Man by the National Fellowship of Catholic Men. You may e-mail the NFCM at info@nfcmusa.org or visit the NFCM website.)
Special Note: In honor of “The Year of the Eucharist,” the National Fellowship of Catholic Men is pleased to offer two books on the Eucharist that can be used in small Catholic men’s groups: Worthy is the Lamb, the Biblical Roots of the Mass by Thomas J. Nash (with discussion questions at the end of each chapter) and God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI). These books can be ordered directly from the NFCM on its website .
Reflection Questions on Page 2
Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men
1. The article describes “revelation” as “God’s work of enlightening our minds and filling our hearts. Like his desire to feed us with his wisdom and grace, God’s desire to reveal himself to us stretches back to the very beginning of time.” In what way have you experienced this revelation through the Mass Scripture readings and through receiving Jesus in Holy Communion?
2. In Luke 24:35, it says that for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus was “made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Why do you think Jesus chose to reveal himself to the disciples in the breaking of bread, the symbol for the Eucharist? What was he trying to show each of us?
3. In the article, we read these words, “When we take and eat what Jesus gives to us, we are compelled to go out and give it to others as Jesus leads us.” Has this been your experience? Why or why not? In what ways have you been able to give to others what you have received from Jesus in the Eucharist?
4 The article goes on to say that, “without careful listening, we will not see God. We will not recognize him — even after we eat the Bread of Life.” These are sober words. What steps can you take to avoid the distractions and temptations you experience at Mass, and be more attentive to what Jesus wants to do in your life at Mass.
5. What is this work that Jesus wants to do in your life when you receive him in the “breaking of bread?”
