We have experienced a monumental shift in the US Catholic Church this week. The first ever National Eucharistic Pilgrimage was completed, during which our Eucharistic Lord was processed north, south, east, and west, converging on the city of Indianapolis, for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress. The last Congress was 83 years ago.
I commend the bishops who were courageous enough to allow this herculean task to take place; thank you for taking the chance. The fruits of this event will no doubt mirror or exceed World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, in which apostolates, vocations, and a plethora of graces overflowed with the appearance of a future saint, Pope John Paul II.
To those who were against it, I’m reminded of a poem by G. A. Studdert Kennedy, made famous by (hopefully soon-to-be-canonized) Archbishop Fulton Sheen, entitled “When Jesus Came to Birmingham.”
When Jesus came to Golgotha, they hanged Him on a tree,
They drove great nails through hands and feet, and made a Calvary;
They crowned Him with a crown of thorns, red were His wounds and deep,
For those were crude and cruel days, and human flesh was cheap.
When Jesus came to Birmingham, they simply passed Him by.
They would not hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die;
For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain,
They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain.
Still Jesus cried, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do,”
And still it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through;
The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see,
And Jesus crouched against a wall, and cried for Calvary.
Apathy and indifference is more painful to Our Lord than the nails, thorns, and spear.
Another example that comes to mind is Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, specifically the conversation between the grand Inquisitor and Christ. The Grand Inquisitor arrests Christ and tells him He is disrupting the work of “the church.”
Friends, it took a Pew Research poll for our leaders to realize that only 30% of Catholics believed in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. How is it that it got that bad before we knew it? How does this happen that that which is the source and summit of our faith is not believed in by 2/3rds of believers, and that it took some secular research company to reveal this us? And then covid hit…oof (no comment). We are talking about that which affects people’s eternal salvation. Belief, faith is essential!
Okay, enough negative. As they say, Satan lives in the past, let’s move on to the now, and make some plans for the future.
It’s time to double down and raise the bet, to aim even higher. Here are some things we can do to strengthen and practice our faith in the Eucharistic Lord:
Formally create and renew a covenant with our Eucharistic Lord in reparation for the ways we have failed Him.Ask religious orders to lead us in a perpetual pilgrimage across the US, seeking out the lost who will never see the inside of a church.Have the bishops utilize their authority to cast out the institutional demons that have entwined themselves into the fabric of our society.Encourage every priest to process our Eucharistic Lord down every street in their parish, reclaiming it for Jesus Christ.Renew your baptismal vows often.
1 Peter 5:8 says that the Devil prowls about as a roaring lion. Well news alert: there’s a new sheriff in town, and His name is Jesus Christ. No more retreating, no more playing defense, we’re getting off our heels and onto our toes. It’s time to play offense with our Eucharistic Lord, going down every road, every highway, and every byway, and claiming them for Jesus Christ our King.
It’s time to realize that we are in a battle, that this is war! Our enemy appears “as” a roaring lion. But behold, the Lion of Judah is here, and He wants what is His for the Father.
We cannot think that our good God remains silent and aloof. He is merely waiting for someone to fight for Him, to fight for His children.
As you read this, understand that the fate of the world really does rest in your hands. Every person must realize that we are all guilty of this macabre outcome that has wrapped its tentacles around the spine of our country. We now must do our part to make this country ready for our King.
Now get back in the fight, souls depend on you, our Father is counting on you!
To renew your baptismal vows this very day, pray the following:
V. Do you reject Satan?
R. I do.
V. And all his works?
R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
R. I do.
V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Photo by Richard Felix on Unsplash
