Daily Reflection _ monday 24th week OT


UNIFYING LOVE
Today's first reading contains the oldest written account we have of the Institution of the Eucharist; older even than that found in John's Gospel. Ironically, the account was occasioned by that fact that the Corinthians were abusing the meaning of the Eucharist. There is no suggestion that they doubted the reality of Christ's True Presence but they violated the purpose of His Presence.
First there were factions among the Corinthians - cliques of favorites - that brought about divisions in the community despite the fact that receiving the Eucharist was intended to make them one in Christ. At that time, some ate and drank too much at the meal that preceded the Eucharist. This was contradictory to the sacrificial spirit that Jesus manifested by His death, which they were commemorating. Finally, some of the Corinthians were unwilling to share their food with others who were in need even though they were celebrating the generosity of Jesus Who gave everything, even His life, out of love for His brothers and sisters.
The Eucharist demands much more than just external devotion in celebration. Its meaning requires a response in life; a response that is manifested by love, unselfishness and generosity. In fact, one reason Jesus has given us the Eucharist is because it is so difficult for us to rise above the weaknesses of our human nature in order to achieve these ideals.
The Blessed Sacrament requires a response of unselfish love in this life. We are coming together at the altar in order to strengthen our unity and to bring us into union not only with God, through Jesus Christ, but also with each other as the Body of Christ. Our tendencies to judge others harshly, to envy, to wish failure upon others, or to consider them inferior are things we might carry with us to the Eucharist. All of these are opposed to the essential meaning of Holy Communion. Hence, we begin every Eucharistic Celebration asking for the forgiveness of our sins. In a sense, every time we come, even if it's daily, we are beginning again in the constant struggles we have to live up to, which are the unifying love of a genuine Christian and the true meaning of the Eucharist. By the sign of peace before Communion we again remind ourselves that our unity with God has to be accompanied by good will towards others.
Our challenge today is that we recognize our weakness and our need for the strength that Jesus alone can give. This is why the Church has adapted the words of the centurion in the Gospel (more precisely the version found in Mt 8:8) for our use just before communion, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."
These words acknowledge not only our need but they also express that with faith, union with Jesus Christ and each other can and should lead to a life of love, unselfishness, and generosity.
Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor, known as the "Golden Mouth" because of his preaching and teaching said the following words, which may help our reflection on the readings. He stated, "You have shared in this Table and should thus be more gentle than anyone and more like the angels, but no one is more cruel than you. You have tasted the Blood of the Lord, and still do not acknowledge your brother" (Homily XXV11 on 1 Corinthians).