We know the Pope appreciates a good story. Maybe that is why a Capuchin preacher, speaking to the Pope, ended his profound reflection on the Eucharist with a story.

Siblings’ signature on a beloved son’s gift

I would like to summarize, with the help of a human example, what happens in the Eucharistic celebration.

Let’s think of a large family in which there is a son, the firstborn, who admires and loves his father beyond measure.

For his birthday he wants to give him a precious gift.

Before presenting it to him, however, he secretly asks all his brothers and sisters to put their signature on the gift.

This, therefore, arrives in the hands of the father as a sign of the love of all his children, without distinction, even if, in reality, only one has paid the price for it.

This is what happens in the Eucharistic sacrifice.

Jesus admires and loves the Heavenly Father endlessly. He wants to give him every day, until the end of the world, the most precious gift that one can think of, that of his own life.

Our signature sare the few drops of water that are mixed with the wine in the chalice. They are nothing but water, but mixed in the cup they become a single drink.

The signature of all is the solemn Amen which the assembly pronounces, or sings, at the end of the doxology:

“Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever”. “AMEN!”

We know that those who have signed a commitment then have the duty to honor their signature. This means that, leaving Mass, we too must make our lives a gift of love to the Father for the good of our brothers and sisters. We, I repeat, are not only called to celebrate the Eucharist but also to make ourselves a Eucharist. May God help us with this!

Quite a story! No wonder he has for over 40 years and three Popes been invited to preach to the Pope and those considered his “household

Learning from a Mexican mystic

He was profoundly impacted by the words Mexican mystic, Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, who died in 1937 and was beatified in 2015. To her Jesuit son, about to be ordained priest, she wrote:

“Remember, my son, when you hold in your hands the Holy Host, you will not say: ‘Behold the Body of Jesus and Behold His Blood,’ but you will say: ‘This is my Body, This is my Blood, that is, there must be worked in you a total transformation, you must lose yourself in Him, to be ‘another Jesus.”

Cantalamessa continuess

“All this applies not only to ordained bishops and priests, but to all the baptized.

The Christian cannot limit himself to celebrating the Eucharist, he must be a Eucharist with Jesus.

All this requires, however, that we, as soon as we come out of Mass, do our best to realize what we have said; that we really strive, with all our limitations, to offer to our others and sisters our “body”, that is, time, energy, attention; in a word, our life.”

From that day when he understood this, he began to no longer close his eyes at the moment of consecration, but to look at all gathered in front of him.

Our signature on Jesus’ gift

Let’s try to imagine what would happen if we saw each encounter of the day as our signature on Jesus’ gift!.

Originally posted on Vincentian Mindwalk