UNITY IN THE MYSTERIES

Retreats are wonderful times for reflective prayer, and for me a great vehicle for this is the Rosary, especially in my car on the highway or during Adoration. So it was natural for me to pick up my beads during Adoration on our retreat this past week. And since they’re so new, I decided to enter into the Luminous Mysteries that Bl Pope John Paul II developed:


The Baptism of the Lord         The Wedding at Cana        
Preaching the Kingdom          The Transfiguration                 Instituting the Eucharist


I am not claiming a “unity” of all five of these under any one rubric (other than that of revelation of Christ and His mission), but a thought did come to me that I think is worth offering (and which may well wind up being a thought that many have already had).


Most every student of the New Testament knows that there is an intimate connection between the accounts of the Institution of the Eucharist and the accounts of the multiplication of loaves and fish. The same language of “take, bless/give thanks, break and give” can be found in both; the multiplication is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four Gospels; and the long meditation on the “Bread of Life” in John 6 makes the connection explicit for the Fourth Evangelist and his community.


Most students also realize that the 120-180 gallons of wine miraculously produced by Jesus at the wedding in Cana (six stone water jars, each holding 20-30 gallons) was a sign to the disciples of Messianic presence because of the quantity: it revealed the expected abundance of the Kingdom.


For the first time, though, these signs came together for me, and I realized that the Eucharist is the fulfillment of abundance of both these signs: all the thousands fed by the five barley loaves multiplied, all the gallons of wine for the wedding—foretastes of banquet in which the abundance is that of Jesus Himself given to us. At the closing Mass for World Youth Day 2000 in the field of Tor Vergata, just outside Rome, over 2 million people were fed with the Bread of Life: an awesome event to be sure, yet small enough when considering those all over the world coming to the Sacrament on that day: every day…


It is impossible for me to think of the events of the Last Supper without being convinced that Jesus was aware of His imminent death and was confident in triumphing through it. And the Evangelists share their own conviction with us in differing ways: “Look at the wine and bread and what He did; see what He does with it now for you,” John says. “At Emmaus they recognized him in the breaking of the bread; you can too,” Luke says. “He is with us always,” Matthew says. All this is because of the power of the Holy Spirit. If the Spirit can transform the doubt-filled and fear-filled disciples into the courageous preachers and martyrs we know as the Apostles, it is a small enough thing to transform the bread and wine, as well. And He does the 2nd in order to empower us to be like the 1st: people of faith.


Sr Emerita back in 3rd grade would always tell us: “It’s a mystery.” It was her answer to every theological conundrum we could pose her. And she was right all along.  Below is a recording of the anthem "O Taste and See" by Ralph Vaughn Williams for your listening pleasure.  Enoy, and happy Ascension Sunday!