Rinela Dos Santos Ribeiro

Liturgy and the Sacraments

PERSONAL EVALUATION ON THE ONLINE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

Our personal and intimate encounter with the incarnate God who gave himself to us not
virtually but saying: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me
and I in him” (Jn 6:56). Jesus' words leave us in no doubt. His flesh and blood are the
food that comes from heaven to lead us to heaven. It is the food of our soul, and Jesus
Himself assures us that we remain in Him and He in us when we commune with His
Body and Blood. We can say, then, that we are deified by the food that comes to us
from heaven. Through the Eucharist we belong to Our Lord and He begins to live in us.

We all know that the whole world is suffering from pandemic and everything has
changed and that everyone is obliged to follow health protocols for everyone’s safety.
Concerning the coronavirus over the whole world, and to implement good hygiene and
safety standards, our liturgical celebration in churches was cancelled. Our church
leaders decided to have it celebrated online that prohibits the faithful to have physical
participation in all churches.

For me, I feel not so concentrated attending the Holy Mass online, because there’s an
absence of interaction among the faithful, no receiving the Body Jesus but instead it is
prayed the Spiritual Communion which for me a very big difference from the
participating in the actual mass. Many times I felt bored and can’t concentrate. I feel that
there’s lacking because there’s no real communion among priest and the assembly. I
feel like we are just mumble the words and no feeling at all. Honestly speaking there are
moments that I can’t feel the importance of the mass thru livestreaming because it is not
enough just to be in front of the computer and television to participate the celebration of
mass is just like profane or watching any program or as if we just listening to the word of
God, but we don’t receive Him sacramentally. Of course, this is my personal
experienced only but I know well that I must be convinced that God is present even in
online masses.
Frequenting online mass, I also came to discover that we need faith to believe that
online mass is real though we are not physically present in the celebration. Indeed, we
need to ask God to increase our faith especially this time of crisis that we may
strengthened to face the danger or fear of being contaminated with this disease.
Nonetheless we should be thankful because during this time our church leaders created
the other way in order that the faithful will not waver in their faith by encouraging
everyone to partake the Sacrament of the Eucharist through livestream. Praying with
our priests is a big help to all of us. It sustains our courage to be more faithful and
hopeful in our daily lives. God is present even in the livestream mass and He is with us
in any circumstances of our life.