Excitement and Awe

The 10 year old boy was so filled with excitement and anticipation that he was almost in tears. He was traveling to a personal meeting with the sports hero he idolized. What a thrill he would experience at this meeting! The teenage girl was ecstatic; she was going to the school dance with her dream date. Her feelings of joy could not be expressed in words, but the glow in her appearance and the joyful nervousness in demeanor said volumes about her state of mind. The political commentator would proclaim such strong approval of a politician that he excitedly gushed his admiration for the politician by noting that his legs become wobbly with enthusiasm when he heard the politician speak.

The common thread that permeates the the 10 year old boy, the teenage girl, and the political  commentator is obviously a significant degree of excitement, enthusiasm,  and admiration for another person; an admiration so significantly greater than that which one would normally expect. Each individual would probably experience a form of trembling, when they would actually meet the person for whom they possess so much respect. Clearly there is nothing wrong for an individual to experience excitement and awe in meeting a greatly admired person; matter of fact one might wonder why a person was not excited in such an instance. If an individual felt no special enthusiasm, awe, and joyful trembling, then one would wonder if there existed any admiration for the individual being met.

When a Catholic walks down the aisle at Mass to receive Holy Communion, which is the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, God, does the Catholic experience a sense of excitement, awe, and a trembling of the knees? What anticipation exists? Does the Catholic really internalize the enormity of what occurs when he/she receives the Eucharist?  God almighty is entering into an intimate and loving encounter with the human recipient of the Eucharist. It is God meeting man on a very personal basis!! No other meeting can compare to the extraordinary meeting of God with man. If one becomes excited and enthused about meeting a sports hero, an admired member of the opposite sex, a politician, or anyone else, would it not be far more exciting and awe inspiring to experience the presence of God in the Eucharist?  Yet, are not many Catholics perfunctory in the receiving of the Eucharist, as if the receiving of the Lord’s Body and Blood was just a routine gesture? To some, the walk up the isle to receive Holy Communion is just an opportunity to wave to friends in the pews or a chance to show off some new clothes.

The two disciples of Christ who walked with Him to Emmaus noted how their “hearts were burning within us”, when Jesus broke and blessed the bread and gave it to them. Shouldn’t each communicant also approach the Eucharist with “hearts burning” with excitement, awe, and reverence? The receiving of the Eucharist should not be a simple, routine gesture but rather an intense, fulfilling meeting with the sublime God.

Others have expressed their awe and excitement in their own words as noted below.

“I have such a thirst and hunger before receiving Him that it’s a wonder I don’t die of anxiety”. –  Blessed Padre Pio

“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.” – St. Maximilian Kolbe

“For One (Jesus) in such a lofty position to stoop so low is a marvel that is staggering.  –  St. Francis Assisi

“Recently, I heard a story about a priest, who was traveling with a Protestant minister in a car. When they passed a Catholic Church, the priest made the sign of the cross. The priest explained that it was done out of reverence for Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. The minister told him, “If I believed what you believe, I would get out of the car, run inside the Church, fall on my knees and never get up again.”  – Unknown

“Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament has His hands full of graces, and He is ready to bestow them on anyone who asks for them.”  –  St. Peter of Alcantara

How would you describe your attitude and thoughts as you prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist?

Some suggested readings: (While there exists a very large number of sources on the Eucharist, the ones listed below might be a good start in the pursuit of an understanding of the Eucharist.)

• “Mysterium Fidei”  Encyclical of Pope Paul VI ,available at www.vatican.va
• “Ecclesia De Eucharistia” Encyclical of Pope John Paul II , available at www.vatican.va
• www.therealpresence.org is a website that is dedicated to providing information about the Eucharist.