As
the Church in Ireland celebrates the International Eucharistic Congress
(10-17 June), we see how for St Francis the Eucharist was at the heart
of the Gospel way of life.
For
Francis the Eucharist is the major way in which he sees Christ in this
world. He had an intense reverence and love for the Lord "hidden" in the
sacrament of his body and blood.
For
Francis this sacrament was a sign of the complete self-emptying of
Christ. In the first of his Admonitions, which is about the Eucharist,
Francis stresses that the sacrament is a symbol of the poverty and
humility of Christ. He writes: “Behold, each day he humbles Himself as
when he came from the royal throne into the Virgin’s womb; each day He
himself comes down to us, appearing humbly; each day He comes down from
the bosom of the Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. As he
revealed himself to the holy apostles in true flesh, so He reveals
himself to us now in sacred bread.”
And
in the Letter to the Entire Order Francis writes in poetic vein: “Let
everyone be struck with fear, let the whole world tremble, and let the
heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the
altar in the hands of a priest! O wonderful loftiness and stupendous
dignity! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The lord of the
universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles himself that for our
salvation he hides himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers,
look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before him! Humble
yourselves that you may be exalted by him! Hold nothing back of
yourselves for yourselves, that he who gives himself totally to you may
receive you totally!”
