Excerpts from “Let’s Put the Eucharist to Work”

by Robert J. McClory

Is the Eucharist working? an absence of “Eucharistic piety” among Mass-goers:

-failure to genuflect or bow when entering or leaving the Church

-routine way people go up to receive Communion

-casual conversations right in front of the tabernacle

Dangerous Disconnect:

• a failure to grasp the intimate connection

–between the Eucharist and justice

–between Christ present in the bread and wine

–and what we do or do not do in the world around us.

Dangerous Disconnect:

• the “Eucharist has been domesticated”

• Christians continue to amass wealth while poverty gap grows.

Put Money Where their Mouth is:

• Parishes use stewardship

(making use of the things entrusted to one’s care)

True Authenticity

• These parishes use “full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy”.

• These parishes have a commitment and passion to allow the Eucharist to transform the lives of the congregation and beyond.

The Eucharist fosters a social love in which

•we put the common good ahead of private good• take up the cause of the community, the parish, the universal church, and extend our charity to the whole world

True Authenticity

the Eucharist is not authentic unless it is related to those in need.

You are what you eat!

• Eating the Eucharist puts God into every cell of your body

Making a Difference

• The Eucharist feeds us in order to do the work God sets before us.

Holy Leisure (St. Augustine)• Taking time out to enjoy life is an

important part of how we worship God, the giver of life.

• When we play, we imitate God who rested the day he finished the work of creation.

• Recreation means “re-creation”, a creating anew or restoration that comes about both through participation at Mass & leisure.

• Leisure helps set our lives in order.

• We keep the Lord’s Day holy by allowing ourselves a sufficient amount of leisure time to nurture our cultural, social, spiritual & family lives.

• We should be sensitive to the needs of others & refrain from making unnecessary demands on them that would hinder their observance of the Lord’s Day.