Hajja Salesjana October - December 2018

23 The Eucharist is a wonderful way Jesus Christ makes himself truly present in people’s lives, the pope said. To take part in the Mass is to relive the Lord’s passion and redemptive death, where, on the altar, he is present and offers himself for the salvation of the world, Pope Francis said. “The Lord is there with us and present,” he said. “But so many times we go, we look around, we chitchat with each other while the priest celebrates the Eucharist.” If the president or any other famous or important person were to show up, he said, it would be a given “that we all would be near him, we would want to greet him. But think about it, when you go to Mass, the Lord is there and you, you are distracted, (your mind) wanders. Yet, it is the Lord!” People should reflect on this, he said, and if they complain, “Oh father, Mass is boring.’ What are you saying? The Lord is boring? ‘No, not the Mass, but the priest.’ Ah, well, may the priest be converted,” but just never forget that the Lord is always there. Catholics need to learn or rediscover many of the basics about the Mass and how the sacraments allow people to “see and touch” Christ’s body and wounds so as to be able to recognize him, just as the apostle St. Thomas did