Thursday, January 10, 2013

Active faith in the Holy Eucharist

Faith without action is dead. When one does believe the consecrated Host to be the Body of Christ, it shows in his actions. It manifests on the way one treated this seemingly lifeless, almost insignificant thing. Reverence in action -- like bowing, kneeling or genuflecting -- before the Holy Body of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is faith in action. Kneeling (and not standing) while taking Communion on the tongue (and not in the hand) from the hands of the duly-ordained Catholic priests (and not from the hands of non-clerical laymen), CLASPING both hands in prayer (and NOT CLAPPING the hands) within the mass, placing the tabernacle in the center (and not on either sides) of the altar... are among active reverence towards the Eucharist. Reverence in one's mind is not yet an active faith -- but still a thought. Thought to become a reality is to translate thought in the language of the body. Also, reverence done ONLY in private is false humility! God is God both in private and in public. His Being does not diminish in either situation. So to worship Him privately and publicly is faith and humility in action.