To the Editor:
It is with great hope and anticipation that I look forward to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ meeting in November to review and discuss drafting a document on the meaning of the Eucharist.
This will be a holistic review of the Eucharist; one that I pray strengthens the message from the pulpit on the real presence of the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ within the Eucharist.
It has been reported that nearly 70% of Catholics are not aware or don’t believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. This is a primary injustice to Christ and to his flock and must be addressed.
As the bishops meet, we, his flock, must be open to that concept. There will be those who are lost in the minutiae of media punditry versus being open to the possibility of trusting God to guide the bishops. Those people will need our prayers.
Throughout history, the Holy Spirit has continually guided the magisterium, never with 100% agreement, yet always with the will of God in focus, for it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
I heard a bishop say that, in religion, law must follow theology. Ignorance, or denial, of theology can never justify poor law.
We must remember that, when we die, as Christians we will not be judged by our gender or our political affiliation. We will be judged by our faith in Christ and how we have increased our faith by the use of our talents to increase his presence and his word in the lives of others and ourselves.
If we don’t believe what he said in John 6:53-56, then we will become the people of John 6:66.
Brent Earley
Davenport
