This is a thought that I shared with a friend many years ago before becoming Catholic, but has developed even further over time. Another friend and I were just sharing in a blog comment and I wrote it out there. Our conversation was about reverence for the Eucharist, about being aware of what is happening when you go up to receive Christ.
I think people underestimate the power of what they are receiving. Back when I was in high school studying physics, there was a little side bar in the book. It said something about how much energy it takes to go from the speed of sound to the speed of light. The equation went something like N for initial velocity, N+1 for this speed, N+2…. by the time it got to almost the speed of sound it was an astronomical amount of energy expended.
Then it said to go from that speed (almost to speed of light) to the speed of light would require the sum of all previous energy expenditures added together. An ‘infinite’ amount of energy would be required to move beyond the speed of light (aka time travel.)
Think about that for a minute. We as Catholics believe that Viaticum is food for the journey.. the journey from this life to the next. From being here, present in time, to there with God outside of time. To move beyond time requires infinite energy.. and all of it is present right there in the Eucharist.
Wow… in that one bite, that one morsel is all of Jesus Christ, all of his body, soul and divinity. Do we really think of that before we consume Him? He has crossed all time and space to allow you to receive Him, bringing that moment in history, bringing you and everyone else present to the foot of Calvary to be a part of that one event, not a new sacrifice, but making that one sacrifice present again. Not a symbol, but literally to ‘re-present’ that event. Do you realize what He has done for you? Does our reverence and behavior at Mass show that we truly believe it? It is awe inspiring. Do we let it inspire that awe in us?
His servant and yours,
Brian