Community of Posadas
EUCHARIST AND ADORATION IN THE HEART OF THE COSMOS"
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as aliving sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is thewill of God
–
what is good and acceptable and perfect
" (Rom 12: 1
–
2). These words of Saint Paulcan serve as the backdrop to our reflexion and sharing. Along with the theme proposed to us, whichcould be approached from different angles, we were orientated towards the reality of "transformation" that takes place in each believer and in each one of us.1)
"
The source of our life is hidden with
Christ in God…
" (Art. 167).- Jesus is the centre of our life and our heart is centred in him.Bread and wine are basic elements of ordinary life. The reality of our daily work making hostsserved us as a starting point: the whole process of the grain of wheat which falls on the ground,dies and gives fruit, is harvested and ground to become flour which, when mixed with water and"worked on" by the machines, becomes a host.- In his incarnation, Christ penetrated the whole of our nature, the good and the sinful. When a hostis not good we put it aside as it is not "worthy" to serve for the Eucharist. But we present ourselvesat the Eucharist just as we are, in our own name and with the sufferings and hopes of humanity: wepresent ourselves, poor, small, si
nful, and we say in truth: "Lord I am not worthy…"
- As the bread and wine "obey" the words that the priest pronounces: "
This is my Body… this is my Blood…
" we believe and hope that this same transformation is realized discreetly and progressivelyin our lives so that we become that what we are: "Body of Christ", Body offered up through servicein love to the end, Blood poured forth in witness (martyrdom) drop by drop, in daily life.- The radical transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit also brings about a transformation in our lives, in communion with "
thewhole of creation which has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who are the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, theredemption of our bodies
" ( Rom 8. 22-23). Nature participates with us in this giving birth of whichthe sign is the Passion of Christ.- The bread of the Eucharist is formed of many grains. And many joys, sufferings, hopes anddifficulties constitute the "material
”
of our daily Eucharist. Our offering, symbolised by the drop of water, brings together the whole humanity whom we offer to the Father "
with Christ, through himand for him
…"
In each Eucharist we celebrate the Presence of the Risen Christ. In receiving theBody and the Blood of Christ we receive the "embryo of the Resurrection" This reality calls us togrow in communion among ourselves, to enter more and more into the mystery of the Death andResurrection of Christ which we desire to live through all things, positive and negative.- In the Eucharist we are presented with "two tables: the table of the Word and the table of theBread". The two tables are necessary to fortify, maintain, and sustain our march, our combat. It isthe "viaticum", the bread for the pilgrimage to the heavenly homeland. The Word and the Bread aregiven to us to fortify charity, to offer up our lives and transmit them. In a word, to accomplish theFather's will.- As the flour is "kneaded" to become bread of life, in the same way our life is "kneaded" to becomeBody of Christ. The transformation is not automatic. It requires offering, sacrifice, gift, passion,death in the contemplation and participation of this "Mystery of the Faith"- We have received everything gratuitously. We want to live in thanksgiving. The Eucharist isabove all thanksgiving and praise of the Father for the work of the Creation, Redemption andSanctification. Everything has been given to us, we have received all to serve as Jesus did: "
If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
(Jn 13. 14-15).
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