One of the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas is that this world is analogous to the next. So happiness in this world teaches us a bit of what happiness is so that we will seek it in the next world.
We can also see that relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Old Testament was based on external observation of the law. This is the point of the 613 Jewish laws. When you lived the law externally, you were being faithful to God. This served as the clash between Jesus and the Pharisees. They followed the law and changed the law to suit their needs as they followed the changed law. Jesus called to internalize the law. He showed that it served no purpose to follow the law in a sign that you love God while you allow your servant to suffer because you refused to work on the Sabbath, by seeking to bring him medical care. By the way, some interpreted that no work on the Sabbath rule so strictly that they would not even go to the bathroom.
So, we see in the old testament that Moses cites among the ways God helped the Jews in their journey through the desert is with the manna, a bread-like substance that appeared like frost and that gave them the nutrition they needed for the day.
Manna was the predecessor of the Eucharist. So, the Eucharist is the powerful nourishment we receive to help us on our journey. However, notice something. Manna helped on the physical journey and the Eucharist helps on the spiritual journey. However, unlike manna which was a substance to assist in the journey, the Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ who died and rose so that we might be saved. It is the more powerful of the two. This means that the spiritual journey is the more difficult journey.
What does that mean? It is one thing to walk the last mile in the desert until you reach the oasis; it is another to go a week prior to payday trying to make ends meet without going into total despair and giving up on God. It is still another raising your hands and saying I don’t know how I am going to make it, Lord, but I trust in you and then realize at end of the week, that He made it happen.
We can never forget this. The Eucharist is the most powerful gift of nourishment from God for our journey for the spiritual journey is the most difficult journey leading us to the greatest destination which is heaven, and the spiritual desert is the more stark environment with more dangers. Hebrews teaches: You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.(10:36) (NABre)
We need the Eucharist to make it on this journey and if we do not take the Eucharist seriously we will barely have the strength to make it. Where do you draw your strength, when you have lost everything or are close to doing so?
One of the great struggles about the Eucharist today is that many for example want the bishops to tell pro-abortion politicians to not receive the Eucharist for their position is not compatible with Catholic teaching. The bishops do not, with few exceptions, and the reason is obvious to many, as happened in a local state. Tell certain pro-abortion politicians to not receive the Eucharist and they will receive as a sign of their independent spirit using their receiving the Eucharist as their standing up to the Bishops. That is obviously the reason why the bishops do not tell politicians to not receive. However, there is another part that each of us have to look at closely.
We approach the throne of God humbly; we never approach God in pride of heart. God help us if we walk down that aisle saying to God and to His Church, I don’t care what you teach, I am going to live my life as I see fit and then receive the Eucharist as that sign of obstinance. That is what is known as a hardened heart and like the journey in the desert analogy, the hardened heart in spiritual matters is the worst condition one can have. As water cannot penetrate rock, God’s grace cannot penetrate a hardened heart.
Remember what I taught before, where are we? We are just like the Jews were in the desert but in spiritual terms, in the valley of death. What happens when we abandon Christ, we stand alone in the valley of death. How do we do that? Harden our hearts. That is like walking through the desert unprepared. It is the one who enters the desert feeling he is, by default, stronger than all the desert has to throw at him, that will die along there because his pride was greater than his survival skills. When one enters the desert with respect for the environment, it is he who will make the journey, even more so relying on God every step of the way.
St. Teresa of Avila taught that with humility you can draw God into your heart by a thread. Those who have the most powerful experience of the Eucharist are those who approach the sacrament humbly. This is why the Eucharist must always be approached in humility for the fruits of it are from God Himself, approach it with pride and you will be like me one Sunday morning who mistook caviar for blackberry jam. I was not ready for the taste and this expensive delicacy became for me a rather nasty shock.
Some may recognize that they are not ready to receive the Eucharist, maybe they are in an irregular marriage or living with someone and not married at all. Or a politician that rejects Catholic teachings, in this case, to not receive the Eucharist is not a punishment, it is to speak out to the Lord humbly and say, I am not ready yet, please prepare my heart to receive you and in time that is exactly what will happen.
Others may be struggling with a habitual sin and feel he/she should not receive. They may be wrong on that point. Hence, why confession is essential. It is when you are fighting against sin that you most need the strength of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and then receive in humble desire for the grace to continue your desert journey. Never forget that the spiritual journey is the more difficult journey. We need all the help we can get and the Lord gives it to us in many ways, the greatest of which is the Eucharist.
God Bless you,
Fr. Robert J Carr
Fr. Carr is an alliance member of the New Song Community (Canção Nova). He is the pastor of Holy Trinity Quincy, MA and is the editor of this blog. He is the author of several books, blogs and hundreds of videos all of which you may find at his website. He also has a regular radio program on WebRadio Canção Nova. Which he podcasts on Mixcloud and here on Catholicismanew.
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