Incarnation in the Eucharist

The same Jesus who was incarnated in Nazareth and born in Bethlehem is incarnated on every altar in the world in the Eucharist. The same sacrifice of the Cross that occurred two millennia ago in Jerusalem may likewise be seen on every altar in the world in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

This is the great Paschal Mystery, in which we participate every time we attend the holy sacrifice of the Mass. And today, in a particular way, we celebrate the mystery of the Eucharist in the springtime feast of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Commonly termed “Corpus Christi”, the feast celebrates the Real Presence of Jesus Christ – that the consecrated bread and wine truly are the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

This Mass is often followed by a Eucharistic procession, where the consecrated host – Jesus Christ Himself – is processed around the church or through the streets, with the faithful following.

An anonymous bishop once famously prescribed a remedy for many of the problems facing the modern Church with the words “less jabbering – more processions“. He was not wrong. In one sense, of course, processions form the structure of the entire liturgy: we begin with an entrance procession (introit), and there are processions for the Gospel, the offertory, and perhaps most strikingly, communion. In each case, we walk towards the altar of God.

During the course of the year, we have other opportunities for procession, including some that take place partially outside the church building. Palm Sunday and the Easter Vigil come immediately to mind.

But Eucharistic processions take this to a whole other level. Not only are we poor pilgrims journeying in search of our heavenly homeland, we are ourselves bringing the Lord to the people in the streets, to where they are. It is the ultimate form of evangelization, because despite all of the preparation and rehearsal we might do, it is not us but Jesus Himself who does the preaching. What use are mere words when here we have the Word Himself?

Less jabbering. More processions.

This week, I participated in two very different Corpus Christi Masses and Eucharistic processions. The first, on Thursday, was one of the liturgies of the Sacred Liturgy Conference I attended this week in Spokane. It was a Solemn Pontifical High Mass, celebrated by his Excellency, Archbishop Thomas Gullickson. The procession afterwards circled the church of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, on the campus of Gonzaga University.

It was beautiful, almost mesmerizing: the full panoply of the riches of the Roman Rite were everywhere in evidence, from incense to chant to vestments to the delicate dance of the ministers of the altar.

The second, this morning, was a much more modest affair. I served as MC for the Mass and procession at Saint Ann church in Tacoma. It was celebrated by Rev. Tuan Nguyen and a single deacon, Rev. Mr. Theman Pham. We did manage 16 servers and a full choir, not to mention sacristans, ushers, and the Knights of Columbus – and the church was as full as the rules would allow.

Although it was not nearly so grand as the Corpus Christi Mass celebrated by the archbishop, it was as beautiful and reverent as we could make it. It was a fitting celebration of my Lord and my God (John 20:28) to close out the Year of the Eucharist.

And here’s the thing: regardless of the externals, it was the same Mass, commemorating the same once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for us.

And in our procession, we carried that same Jesus with us, incarnate in the Eucharist, our God-with-us, our Emmanuel.

Thank you to all who joined us at Saint Ann this morning, and a special thanks to the legions of folks who helped to organize and prepare and celebrate this beautiful Mass and procession with us.

Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam! 

Not unto us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give the glory!