Word to the Wise
Monday, September 17, 2018 - Monday in the 24th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Cor 11:17-26, 33 and Luke 7:1-10]MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 MONDAY IN THE TWENTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33 and Luke 7:1-10] For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my Body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my Blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” [1 Corinthians] These words from St. Paul to the community in Corinth should be familiar to us. We hear them at almost every celebration of the Eucharist (the last sentence can vary). Since the letters of St. Paul are, for the most part, older than the gospels, he is showing that the development of the celebration of the Eucharist contained, from the very earliest times, these words which become living history that we re-enact on a daily basis. The context for St. Pau’s teaching is important as well. He is addressing the problem of factions in the Corinthian community. He reminds the community that the celebration of the Lord’s supper is not a picnic, where everybody brings their own food and drink. It is a unified gathering to recall the gift of Jesus’ own Body and Blood. Factionalism destroys the unity. Historically, the celebration of the Eucharist has developed many forms that range widely in their ceremonial and ritual expression. Sadly, the ritual, at least in the Latin church, has become a force of division when congregations quarrel over even simple things like the exchange of peace or the language in which the Eucharist should be celebrated. We can easily forget the simple celebration that the disciples on the road to Emmaus experience (Luke 24) or as described in the account of St. Justin Martyr. The rich tapestry of traditions and theological interpretations (factions?) can overwhelm the simple meaning. St. Paul’s words to us today can help us focus on what Jesus intended and celebrate the Words and the Body and Blood of Christ, the center of our faith. AMEN
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