The Second Vatican Council tells us in Lumen Gentium that the best way we stand in God's presence, or as it says, the source and the summit is in the Eucharist. Every single time we come to Mass, Jesus is present.
Now Jesus is present in a number of ways at Mass. He's present in you, the body of Christ. He's present in the ministers. He's present when we pray and sing. All those things are true. But Lumen Gentium is clear. Jesus is most present in the Eucharist. Body and blood, soul and divinity. That's the beginning of wisdom.
When we can recognize that every time we place ourselves in the presence of Jesus, every single time we come to the Mass, we are asking God whether we realize it or not to change us. The instructions of the Mass make it quite clear.
They say we should be qualitatively different when we leave mass than we were when we came. The whole purpose of Mass is not simply to show up, although that's the beginning. You can't get much out of Mass if you're not here.
But the whole beginning is to recognize that the goal is to become more and more like the person of Jesus, to become more and more the Christ. That is ultimately salvation. We will share fully and completely in Jesus by being like Him. Today, let us ask the Lord for this mobile wisdom, for this great gift, for this recognition that everything we need to know about following Jesus is made clear when we place ourselves in the presence of wisdom.
On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.
