Easter and the Gift of the Eucharist

An atheist was walking through the woods.  He said to himself.  'What majestic trees!'  ‘What powerful rivers!'  'What beautiful animals!'  As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.  He turned to look.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                        

 

He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.  He ran as fast as he could up the path.  He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him.  He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer.  He tripped and fell on the ground and rolled over to pick himself up, but the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his paw. 

 

 

 

 

 

At that instant moment, the Atheist cried out: 'Oh my God!'  Time

stopped.  The bear froze and the forest was silent.   

A bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky.  You deny my existence for all these years; teach others I don't exist; you credit creation to cosmic accident.'  'Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament?'  ‘Am I to count you as a believer?’

 

 

 

The atheist looked directly at the light and said: ‘It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?’  ‘Very well’, said the voice.  The light went out; time resumed.  The sounds of the forest returned.  Then the BEAR brought both of his paws together, bowed his head and said, ‘Lord bless this food, which I received from Your Goodness through Christ Our Lord.  Amen!

 

Each of us has doubts, Thomas the Apostle had doubts, but he did not run away from his doubts, he honestly confronted them and sought answers.  He offered the most profound & explicit statement of faith in the New Testament, ‘My Lord & my God!’ and eventually Thomas died for his faith.

 

Joseph Ratzinger [Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI] in his book, Jesus of Nazareth, Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection wrote, “The Christian faith stands or falls with the truth of the testimony that Christ is risen from the dead …. Only if Jesus is risen has anything really new occurred that changes the world and the situation of mankind.” (p. 241-242) He, also, wrote “Jesus’ Resurrection was about breaking out into an entirely new form of life….” (p.244)

 

May our faith, renewed in this season of Easter, be reflected in the lives we lead as disciples of the Risen Lord!  Lives lived for God and for His Kingdom.  The early Christian community lived with Fear, Doubt and Hope – their Hope was in Jesus.  Their Hope was renewed in Jesus Resurrection and strengthened by His gift of Eucharist.  The Eucharist that is the gift of Jesus true God and true man, offers to us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

Jesus’ Resurrection conquered death and our hope is based on that singular event.  In his Gospel, John tells us “… these (signs) are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ….”  Despite our doubts, our failures, our sins we believe, we believe.  After all it is a matter of faith!

 

Today for a few minutes, reflect on the His gift of the Eucharist.

 

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.

May God Be Blessed!