Immersed in Christ: Monday, July 5, 2021

The Communion Rite: To Feel and Fashion the Future

In the Communion Rite at Mass, we celebrate to preview Christ’s return at the end of time. In communion, Jesus literally has us “sit down to eat,” as he “comes to serve us”. It is a preview of the “wedding banquet of the Lamb”, where all of redeemed humanity, united by the Holy Spirit, is seated together at the table of their Father in total reconciliation and mutual love. This motivates us to work for peace and unity on Earth in our time now.

Jesus described heaven as a banquet. As soon the Communion Rite begins (with the Our Father), we are in the “end time”, the time of Christ’s total victory over sin and death. We are present- in fact and not in fantasy- at that banquet. Receiving communion gives us a taste of it.

As the whole assembly chants the triple “Lamb of God”, the presider breaks the bread, just as Jesus did. Eucharist is the “sacrament of unity in the Church”, many grains of wheat that “die” to become one bread- a bread that is broken to be shared with many.

Take Action: Do something today that promotes unity in your family, parish, or workplace.