Today we continue
our Year of Faith look at the Mass. We concluded last week’s reflections by
examining the priest’s proclamation: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who
takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the Supper of the
Lamb.” Edward Sri reminds us that at this point we realize the Mass is really a
wedding feast, and our hearts should be longing for the union with our
bridegroom which is soon to come in Holy Communion. We respond: “Lord, I am not
worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul
shall be healed.” I wonder how many of us today honestly believe we are truly
unworthy. We spend much mental space justifying our sins. We tell ourselves God
doesn’t really view anyone as a sinner, just as a wayward son and then
benevolently smiles at our transgressions and hopes we will get over whatever
it is we hold sacred in this world. Sadly, our society propagates this lie. Society
says that sexual sins of cohabitation, affairs, and pornography are not really
offensive to God, so we go ahead and take communion, and in doing so, view ourselves
as worthy. Society tells us it is ok to rid ourselves of unwanted pregnancies,
aging parents, and anything else that stands in the way of our comfort and ease
in life. Not so, I am afraid. We must stop and recognize at this point in the
Mass that we are unworthy to receive Jesus, yet that will never stop Him from
healing us of our sins. If we have committed a venial sin, we can simply tell
God how sorry we are at this point and acknowledge that although unworthy, we
believe in His very benevolent mercy. If we are living in mortal sin, we must
not receive communion. It is not just a freebie given out to anyone in any
stage of grace. Mortal sin must be confessed, repented, and stopped. It is a
road block to our admittance into heaven, and we must save our souls by getting
rid of it. If we believe we are unworthy, then we are truly living humble
lives, and we are headed in the right direction. If not, we are living prideful
lives and are fooling ourselves that we are ready for the judgment which awaits
us all. Ask, and receive God’s healing word. Then go and sin no more.
Edward Sri tells
us: But how can we mere human beings – and sinful ones at that! – dare to
approach the all-holy, almighty God in this way? In response to the invitation to the marriage supper of the
Eucharist, we say a prayer that on one hand, acknowledges our complete
unworthiness to receive our Lord, and at the same time, expresses confidence
that Jesus calls us and can heal us….These words reflect the humility and trust
of the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant who is at his house,
paralyzed and in distress. As a Gentile outside of God’s covenant, and as a
Roman officer in charge of one hundred soldiers who were oppressing God’s
people, this centurion humbly acknowledges that he is not worthy to have Jesus
come to his home. Yet he expresses a great faith that surpasses many others in
the gospels and amazes even Jesus: He believes Jesus can heal from afar, simply
by speaking his word…(Mt 8:8). Jesus praises this man for his faith. Like the
centurion, we recognize our unworthiness to have Jesus come under the “roof” of
our souls in Holy Communion. Yet, just as the centurion believed Jesus was able
to heal his servant so do we trust that Jesus can heal us as he becomes the
most intimate guest of our souls in the Eucharist. (The Mass, Ascension Press, 2011)
