Evidence of the Presence of God

My friend was a “Catholic Formation Instructor” for 14 Public H. S. Sophomores, at his parish, 15-years ago. The topic for their weekly Study was “Social Justice”. About half-way through their 1st Session, my friend asked, “How many of you attend Sunday Mass?” Only 1 hand went up.

How many of you have stood in line for hours to buy a ticket to see your favorite “Rock Star”? All hands went up. (The word “Worship” comes from the Olde English word “Worth-Ship”, meaning what we value most.)

My friend then said, “Allow me to tell you why I go to Sunday Mass. I Don’t go to get a “Tick-Mark”, for keeping a Commandment, to avoid going to Hell. That’s really a stupid reason to go. I go for the Consecration & Communion. At the Consecration, the Priest holds up the Host and says, “This Is My Body”, just like Christ said at the “Last Supper”.

God is the antecedent of the pronoun “You” in the above YouTube music video

The Priest didn’t say, “This is sorta, kinda-like my Body” or “This Represents My Body”. No. With great clarity and absolute certainty, the Priest says, “This is My Body”. Somehow (I don’t know how) God is present in that Host.

• · The same God that created everything, including making you, “in His Image & Likeness”.
• · The same God that sent His Son, Jesus, to become Man, and die to forgive your sins.
• · The same God that sent you The Holy Spirit, to give you the Gift of Grace – To enhance your reconciled relationship with God.
  

More Wonderful, is that same God is present in the Host that you receive at Communion. Then, you experience the presence of God within you.

• · The same Power & Wisdom of the Father – the Creator.
• · The same Mercy & Love of the Son – the Redeemer.
• · The same Peace & Joy of the Holy Spirit – the Giver of Grace.,
  

You experience all of that, when you receive Communion.

“Panis Angelicus” means “The Bread of Angels”.

Then, I want to share all that with my family and friends. Not by words. But by reflecting the experience of receiving God’s Love in Communion. Not by telling. But by being a better man. That’s the wonderful relationship between the members of the Mystical Body of Christ. It’s a Cosmic Collection of sharing “Lumen Christi” – the Light of Christ – with each other. Everything else is just so much rubbish. That’s why I go to Sunday Mass.

“I go because I Want to, because I Need to. Not, because I have to.”

Molly blurted out, “No one explained it to me, like that, before.”

The above music video expresses the functional definition of reflecting “Lumen Christi”, the “Light of Christ” to others.

Six weeks later, my friend asked, “How many went to Sunday Mass?” – 8 arms shot up.

That increase in Mass attendance is a tribute to the Holy Spirit opening minds, softening hearts, and touching souls. My friend merely made the effort to share his experience. The Holy Spirit did the “Heavy-Lifting” of changing behavior.

Occasionally, my friend will see Molly at Sunday Mass, with her mother & sister. If their eyes meet, they both smile. Their smiles speak volumes about the intervention of the Holy Spirit, in our lives, through Communion.

The YouTube music video below expresses the essence of Communion with God, and the communion with each other.

It’s reminiscent of God’s presence with us, beginning with the Birth in Bethlehem. MERRY CHRISTMAS – EVERYONE.