History reveals that some events are watershed moments. Some events stand out as different, more than ordinary events. It can be hard to judge these events soon after their occurrence, but it is sometimes possible to have a sense that an event was truly extraordinary. Such is my impression of the National Eucharistic Congress, hosted by the American Catholic bishops this past week, July 17-21, 2024 in Indianapolis. Over 50,000 Catholics filled the stadium, conference center, and downtown streets, praying, worshipping, together experiencing the power of their faith in God. I attended and I admit the possibility that this assertion is out of my personal enthusiasm and “high” but soberly I believe it is true.
I have attended many Catholic and Christian conferences in my life. Most were powerful. Most had some legs, but in time, their impact subsided from a flame to a soft glow, sometimes disappearing. This was different. What the bishops and Congress organizers did was to get out of the way of themselves and put the primary focus of Jesus Himself, inviting Our Lord to be present, for the sake of His presence. Our gathering was about worship, first and foremost, worship of God, worship of Jesus in the Eucharist, in the Blessed Sacrament. Yes, there was plenty of powerful teaching from some of the most gifted teachers of our faith. Yes, there were exhibits and music, and a festive atmosphere, an overwhelming spectacle. But worship was supreme.
Each night at the general sessions, Jesus was presented to us in the Blessed Sacrament. We knelt on cramped hard concrete and adored, worshipped, praised, and exalted our God. Sometimes it hurt. Knees are not made for concrete. Often we were tired. But beyond everything else, we worshipped, agendas mostly aside. When over 50,000 gather for the primary purpose of worshipping our Lord, the power and love of God is unleashed.
The theme of the Congress was Eucharistic Revival. Our Catholic belief, our gift of truth to the world, is that Jesus, the eternal son of God, who sacrificed Himself for us on the Cross, initiated that sacrifice at the Last Supper when He took bread and said, “This is my Body, given up for you,” and “this is my Blood of the new covenant, poured out for you.” Jesus is present in the Eucharist. He said so. He promised so. He meant it not as a symbol, but as a reality. So when our bishops and priests processed into the stadium night after night with the Sacred Host, the consecrated bread become the flesh of our Lord, Jesus was truly present. From this flowed the power of this Congress, the power for us to go into the world in the days ahead in a mission of love and faith. In other words, grace abounds. Worship of God as He is present in the Blessed Sacrament was the portal for the outpouring of the grace of God. Teaching itself does not do it. Human direction and topic choices do not do it. God’s presence does do it. That’s what happened. That is why I am confident that the Congress will have an impact on the beleaguered Church in America. We went to God looking for His agenda, brought Him among us in the way He ordained – through His Eucharistic Presence – and God responded. The humility of the bishops and organizers to defer to God for the agenda made this possible. I am grateful.
A couple of additional observations. One is an image. So much of the time in the stadium we worshiped in the presence of Jesus exposed in the Blessed Sacrament. The consecrated Host was large and within a beautiful, large gold monstrance (see photo). Some of you know that I am a sports fan (something I wrestle with spiritually), particularly as a U of Michigan football fan. (I am an alum, proud in one sense, deeply disappointed in the woke spirit entrenched in the university community in another sense). Just last December, in this very stadium, the Michigan players held aloft a glittering Big Ten championship trophy. The contrast with the Monstrance holding the King of the Universe was monumentally striking. What a colossal difference! The secular and worldly sports trophy, now transcended by the golden presence of Jesus.
Another observation: we all came from our home parishes and gathered together as the larger Church in America. It is important to be mindful of the larger Body of Christ, beyond our own corners of the Kingdom. To gather as a larger Body can give us a perspective of the universal Church and see beyond our own circumstances.
Finally, our mission. We are sent. We are called to pray, to serve the poor, to evangelize, to love. This was not designed to be a personal spiritual high. We are the Body of Christ. The point of our worship and our Congress experience is for us to follow Jesus as His disciples. He commissioned us to do so. That’s why we were baptized. The Congress provided us an abundance of grace for us to do so. And the invitation for all of you who were not there, to join in a renewed effort to follow Jesus. The Church in America is alive, even more so in light of this Eucharistic Congress. Come Holy Spirit. Come Jesus in the Eucharist. Guide us into the future for the sake of the Kingdom!
Add Comment