| "The Sacrament of Charity" |
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| Monday, 02 April 2007 05:27 | |||
 Archbishop Henry J. Mansell Pope Benedict XVI has presented us in recent weeks a rich gift for Lent, Easter, and all year round. It is his Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis, “The Sacrament of Charity.” Dated Feb. 22, the feast of the Chair of Peter, and released on March 13, it provides us with his reflections on the suggestions made by the World Synod of Bishops of 2005, whose theme was “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.” It is an edifying message to deepen our appreciation for the wonder of the Eucharist. As we enter this week of our high holy days, some of the Holy Father’s meditations are particularly timely. On Holy Thursday, we might focus special attention on these pivotal thoughts: “In instituting the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus anticipates and makes present the sacrifice of the Cross and the victory of the Resurrection…He reveals that He Himself is the true sacrificial lamb, destined in the Father’s plan from the foundation of the world…Jesus shows the salvific meaning of His death and Resurrection, a mystery which renews history and the whole cosmos.” (p. 10) On Good Friday, we might reflect further: “The institution of the Eucharist demonstrates how Jesus’ death, for all its violence and absurdity, became in Him a supreme act of love and mankind’s definitive deliverance from evil.” (p. 10) On Easter Sunday, the theme is advanced: “True joy is found in recognizing that the Lord is still with us, our faithful companion along the way. The Eucharist makes us discover that Christ risen from the dead is our contemporary in the mystery of the Church, His body.” (p. 97) “Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:54, quoted in p. 22) The Exhortation is divided into three parts, in which Pope Benedict illustrates how the most holy mystery of the Eucharist is to be firmly believed, devoutly celebrated, and intensely lived in the Church. The central theme is evoked: “Jesus Christ shows us how the truth of love can transform even the dark mystery of death into the radiant light of the Resurrection. Here the splendor of God’s glory surpasses all worldly beauty. The truest beauty is the love of God, who definitively revealed Himself to us in the paschal mystery. The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery.” (p. 35) The Holy Father goes on to describe how this beauty is to be enhanced by words and music, gestures and silence. He gives emphasis to the importance of sacred art, particularly painting and sculpture, and appropriate architecture. He encourages more frequent use of Latin and Gregorian Chant. Over the years we have heard much about the importance of active, full, and fruitful participation of the entire people of God in the Eucharistic celebration. The Pope makes clear that the word “participation” does not refer to mere external activity during the celebration. In fact, he says, the active participation called for by the Second Vatican Council “must be understood in more substantial terms, on the basis of a greater awareness of the mystery being celebrated and its relationship to daily life.” (p. 52) He elaborates: “Active participation in the Eucharistic Liturgy can hardly be expected if one approaches it superficially, without an examination of his or her life. This inner disposition can be fostered for example by recollection and silence for at least a few moments before the beginning of the liturgy, by fasting, and, when necessary, by sacramental confession.” (p. 55) The Holy Father reminds us later, quoting from his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est (“God Is Love”), that “A Eucharist which does not pass over into the concrete practice of love is intrinsically fragmented.” (p. 82) He strongly encourages Eucharistic Adoration, which “is simply the natural consequence of the Eucharistic celebration, which is itself the Church’s supreme act of adoration.” (p. 66) Of course, we promote the practice of Perpetual Adoration in our Archdiocese. We ask that parishes dedicate at least special hours of the week for this devotion. The Holy Father confirms once again that celibacy remains obligatory for priests in the Latin tradition: “The ministerial priesthood, through Ordination, calls for complete configuration to Christ…Priestly celibacy lived with maturity, joy, and dedication is an immense blessing for the Church and for society itself.” (p. 24) We continue to pray intensely for vocations to the priesthood and to encourage men to consider seriously the possibility that God is calling them to the challenging and rewarding life of the priesthood. The Pope speaks in a direct way to Catholics who are divorced and civilly remarried. He encourages the development of Marriage Tribunals that are adequately staffed and properly functioning to explore the possibility of annulments. I am happy to say that the Archdiocese of Hartford is strongly blessed with our Tribunal. He reminds the divorced and remarried, however, that even if an annulment is not possible, they “continue to belong to the Church, which accompanies them with special concern and encourages them to live as fully as possible the Christian life through regular participation at Mass, albeit without receiving Communion, listening to the Word of God, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer, participation in the life of the community, honest dialogue with a priest or spiritual director, dedication to the life of charity, works of penance, and commitment to the education of their children.” (p.29) On the matter of reception of Communion by Christians who are not Catholic, the Holy Father holds “that Eucharistic Communion and ecclesial communion are so linked as to make it generally impossible for non-Catholic Christians to receive the former without enjoying the latter…The Eucharist in fact not only manifests our personal communion with Jesus Christ but also implies full communion with the Church.” (p. 56) The Pope reminds all Catholics that we are to give public witness to our faith. “It is especially incumbent upon those who, by virtue of their social or political position, must make decisions regarding fundamental values such as respect for human life, its defense from conception to natural death, the family built upon marriage between a man and a woman, the freedom to educate one’s children, and the promotion of the common good in all its forms…Catholic politicians and legislators, conscious of their grave responsibility before society, must feel particularly bound on the basis of a properly formed conscience to introduce and support laws inspired by values grounded in human nature. There is an objective connection here with the Eucharist.” (p. 83) There is much to be gained from reflection on Pope Benedict’s reflections. As he says, “Every great reform has in some way been linked to the rediscovery of belief in the Lord’s Eucharistic Presence among His people.” (p. 6) A full reading of “The Sacrament of Charity” should help bring about a greater measure of reform and renewal for all of us. Happy Easter!
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