By Christian Bergmann
“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Deus Caritas Est)
As Catholics, we have entered into what might be thought of as a ‘sacramental desert’. Not because the world has suddenly become emptied of meaning and sacramental significance. Rather, because for the time being we, as laypeople, are no longer able to participate in the Eucharist, which is the “source and summit” of our faith.
The American Catholic writer, Mark Shea, recently suggested that we should think of this decision in terms of our shepherds, the bishops, caring for “the least of these”, as Jesus taught. Since COVID-19 is a highly infectious virus and particularly dangerous for those over a certain age bracket, it is a prudent and wise decision to care for those most vulnerable by taking these measures. During this time, Shea said, one of the things we should also do is pray for those around the world who often have to wait considerable lengths of time, sometimes years, before receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist due to the shortage of priests.
Reading this, I couldn’t help but think that as we pray for those who go without, maybe this could be a time for us to rediscover once again what the heart of prayer is.
I say this because of something the Trappist monk Thomas Merton once wrote. Of prayer, he said this:
“the secret of prayer is a hunger for God and for the vision of God.”
Prayer can be a lot of things. Consoling. Disorienting. Wearisome. Desperate. Mindless. Fervently sincere. It can roll off the tongue without a thought or be a fight to find the right words, or any words at all that don’t sound ridiculous. However, at the bottom of it all, for Merton, is a hunger for God and a hunger to see God, regardless of how much we fight with Him and ourselves in the process.
In a recent Wednesday audience, Pope Francis spoke about the hunger and thirst of the human heart. He said that in every heart, even in the hearts of the most corrupt, there is “an interior thirst, an interior hunger, a restlessness . . .”
Perhaps, to pray is to get in touch with this inner restlessness and awaken ourselves to a hunger for God. Not only that, but a God who feeds us with his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
During this time in the desert, I hope that together we can continue cultivating a hunger for Him in the Eucharist.
There are some practical things for us to do to help with this.
Read John 6.
The sixth chapter of John’s Gospel is the most famous discourse of Jesus in the New Testament on the Eucharist. Maybe we can break it open again, read it through slowly, and get back in touch with the heart of Jesus for His people and what He wants to give them.
Pray the Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Offering up Our Suffering
Even though Catholics hear the words “offer it up” a lot, this is a time when we can really enter into the mystery of the Eucharist without being able to participate in it. By offering up our suffering – our time away from the sacrament – for specific causes, we can get back in touch with the spiritual significance of the Eucharist and truly learn how to pray.
Read a Good Book
Reading books by people who know more than we do is always a great way to deepen our understanding. One of my favourites on the Eucharist is by Jeff Cavins, called I’m Not Being Fed: Discovering the Food that Satisfies the Soul. By Vinny Flynn, too, is 7 Secrets of the Eucharist, a classic when it comes to modern Eucharistic devotional reads.
Watch online videos of the Mass.
I know it sounds strange, but this can be a really helpful tool for moving us to really desire the Eucharist once again. It is, obviously, no substitute, but hopefully it can stoke within us that hunger and thirst for something we might have been taking for granted so far. If I can recommend one avenue for this, Bishop Robert Barron has videos of the daily Masses offered from his chapel whilst they, too, are in lockdown. They can be found on YouTube and are always accompanied by good homilies.
Channel 31 (44 on Digital)
Daily Mass (as well as the Holy Week liturgies) from St Patrick's Cathedral will now be televised free to air on C31 (often listed as Channel 44 on digital TVs) More details (including the full list of liturgies) can be found at: bit.ly/holyweekliturgies
Channel 7
Channel 7 will be broadcasting the 3 pm Good Friday Service and Easter Sunday Mass live from St Mary's Cathedral Sydney
Mass celebrated by Father Kevin Dillon from Rowville is broadcast at 7 am live on 89.9 Light FM.
Bishop Robert Barron
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and founder of Word on Fire – Bishop Robert Barron has been using new media to evangelise for over a decade. On his website or YouTube channel, viewers can find daily Mass alongside hours of intelligent and thought-provoking content on topics relevant to the faith.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcMjLgeWNwqL2LBGS-iPb1A or https://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass/