Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos

 

The Eucharist:
Seed of the 'New Evangelization'

September 17, 2000
Magness Arena, University of Denver

Catholic News Service photo
 

Before this splendid setting of the Colorado mountains, with their pure air giving nature peace and serenity, the soul rises spontaneously to sing praise to the Creator: "Oh Lord, our God, how admirable is your name in all the earth!"

Archbishop Chaput, Bishop O'Malley, Metropolitan Isaiah, brother bishops, priests and deacons, brothers and sisters in Christ:

I can't avoid, as I begin my talk, repeating the words which Pope John Paul II spoke during his unforgettable visit to this city, located in the heart of the United States. I heartily agree with the Holy Father that the closeness of Denver to the marvelous Colorado mountains, its beautiful architecture, and its exhilarating growth make it truly una Cittá fatta a la misura del Uomo; that is to say, "a city made to the measure of man" as the Pontiff himself described it after returning from World Youth Day 1993.

Thank you, brothers and sisters of Denver, for letting me share with you this moment so full of grace in this beautiful city. Thanks especially to you, Archbishop Chaput, for this wonderful opportunity to share this experience of faith with this beloved portion of our Church. Thank you, too, for my being able to address you in my mother tongue -- Spanish - the language of my Hispanic brothers and sisters, who, in growing numbers, are adding to the Catholics of the Church in the United States. Many of them are here, and I greet them wholeheartedly.

I've been asked to reflect with you on a subject that is fundamental in the life of the Church, especially in the context of this Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

I'd like to set my reflections today in the framework of a real story whose protagonist was Pope Paul VI. Those who have had the chance to enter the private sacristy of the Sistine Chapel, have seen the numerous rooms, accessible through a special door, full of historic liturgical objects. There one can see the sacred vestments of the Popes of past centuries, ancient liturgical objects and sacred vessels of incredible artistic and historical value. But the object which perhaps attracts the most attention, in the midst of all these valuable pieces, is a tiny plain glass cup covered by a faded paten, which looks like it might be the top of a common can.

This cup and its cover were given to Paul VI by a bishop from Czechoslovakia who told him that it was a humble gift from the Catholic people of his country. The glass cup and the tin cover had been used as a chalice and paten by a heroic priest who was killed in a Communist prison for proclaiming his faith.

Pope Paul VI was deeply moved by this simple gift, which summarized so marvelously the suffering and heroism of persecuted Catholics. The next morning, the Holy Father celebrated Mass in his private chapel with that cup and that tin paten, and then he asked that both be kept in the vault as a precious treasure of the Church. He asked for only one modification: a discreet golden plate on the base of the cup where the story of the priest was engraved, so that this would remain forever in the memory of the Church.

Perhaps you've heard of the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano. This miracle happened during the Eighth Century in the Italian village of the same name, when a Basilian monk was celebrating Mass. Shortly after the consecration, the priest, who had been doubting the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, found the host converted into real flesh. The wine on the altar had been converted into coagulated blood, divided into five separate pieces, one for each of the wounds of Jesus. Upon seeing what had happened, the priest, deeply moved and repentant, announced the miracle to those present.

Today, 12 centuries later, the relics of that miracle remain intact. Different scientific investigations, the latest in 1971, confirm that the flesh kept in the reliquary of Lanciano is real tissue from a heart, and the blood is authentic coagulated blood, with all its natural components, conserved in perfect condition despite the centuries which have passed.

The wonder of Lanciano is not the only Eucharistic miracle, but perhaps one of the most impressive, because this phenomenon, which challenges any human explanation, is the confirmation of the Lord's words: "Take, eat; this is my body." As heirs of the faith of Abraham and as Catholics, we believe in miracles. We believe that the Lord does marvelous things, and that throughout history holy men and women have been the vehicles through which God, by means of miracles, shows us His greatness and His love for us.

Nevertheless, the most important miracle, the miracle that as Catholics we can never forget, is the one which is present daily, before us there in the tabernacle -- in the hands of the priest in each Eucharist celebrated at any time and in any place, no matter where; in the splendor of the basilica of Saint Peter in Rome; in the humblest chapel of any corner of the world; and even within the walls of the most obscure prison. And this is precisely what Paul VI wanted to immortalize with his decision to ask that a humble cup and tin paten, in which the blood and flesh of Christ had reposed in the hands of a martyred priest, be conserved as a treasure of the Church.

It is this, my brethren, which is the true treasure of the Church: Christ truly present among us. Great saints and mystics have said that if the Lord should give us the capacity to comprehend the great mystery enclosed in the Eucharist, we would die of love immediately.

And many, in truth, have died of love. They've died of love for the Eucharist because the Eucharist has nourished missionaries, martyrs and heroic saints throughout history. Proclaiming it, nourished by it, thousands of Christians in the entire world and throughout all of history have given their lives. Just two days ago, I knelt in prayer at the catacombs of St. Callistus, in the place where the remains of the boy-martyr of the Eucharist, St. Tarcisius, are interred.

In the history of devotion to the Eucharist, the faithful of Mexico have had a unique and recent role. On April 21 in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father canonized Cristobal Magallanes and his martyred Mexican companions. Each of these Mexican martyrs has a history which deserves telling. But I'd like to share one of them in particular, Father Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Lucero.

Father Maldonado, amid the persecutions in Mexico in the last century, had just celebrated Ash Wednesday and was hearing confessions when a group of armed men appeared to arrest him. Father Pedro took the reliquary with the consecrated hosts and followed the men who had seized him. Upon arriving at the city hall, politicians and police insulted and beat him. A blow to the forehead with a pistol grip fractured his skull and blew out his left eye. The priest, covered with blood, fell down almost unconscious, whereupon the reliquary opened and the hosts fell to the ground.

One of the men who was taunting him picked up the hosts and cynically gave them to the priest, saying to him, "Eat this". He didn't know that with a gesture which he meant as an offense, he was fulfilling the wish that Father Pedro had expressed many times when he was a seminarian: to receive the sacrament of Jesus before dying. He was taken to a public hospital in Chihuahua in terrible pain, and the following day, February 11, 1937, the anniversary of his ordination as a priest; he gave his soul up to God.

Recently, reflecting on the intimate relationship which exists between the Eucharist and martyrdom, the Holy Father referred to martyrs as "those singular 'missionaries' and witnesses of faith and the love of Christ"; and he pointed out that their relics, which are always placed below the altars of churches, "constitute a clear sign of the vigor that emanates from the sacrifice of Christ." In my recent visit to Mexico, I contemplated with reverence the reliquary of the Mexican martyrs, a long-lasting symbol of the "Eucharist of the martyrs."

The Eucharist is, in fact, the deepest source of heroism, of giving, of Christian life itself. It is the Bread of Life, the strength that nourishes us on the path of life. It is the strength that moves the Christian to project himself, to go outside himself unselfishly, to give to others from a spirit of solidarity, and thereby to find sainthood.

It is important to remember this, my brethren: The first act of solidarity with the world is just this, our sainthood; because as a Latin American scholar once aid, there is no greater irresponsibility nor greater injustice than that of not aspiring seriously to the sainthood to which everyone -- absolutely everyone -- is called, as Vatican II reminds us.

As Bishop O'Malley has already said so well, the Eucharist is the center of the life of the Church and the center of the life of each Christian. The Eucharist lights the fire of love in our hearts which allows us to convert daily life to Christian life, which allows us to withstand the daily "martyrdom" of the demands of modern life.

But if the Eucharist lights a flame in our hearts, we should remember that no one lights a lamp -- as the Lord reminds us in the Gospels -- to place it under a bushel basket. Not long ago, the Pope reminded us that each Mass concludes with a missionary mandate -- "go" -- and thus, each Mass invites the faithful to take the word of the Risen Lord to families, to the work place and to society, to the whole world.

The Holy Father told us, too, that "today it is especially necessary that each community obtain from the celebration of the Eucharist the interior conviction and the spiritual strength to go outside of itself and open itself to other communities which are poorer and need help in the area of evangelization and missionary cooperation, favoring that fertile exchange of gifts that enriches the entire Church".

In effect, each Eucharist has the capacity to transform the whole life of each one of us and of our surroundings. First as a bishop in Colombia, and then in my service at the Congregation for the Clergy, I've been able to witness directly that a clear and proportionate relationship exists between the Eucharist and sainthood, and between sainthood and fruitful apostleship in the life of priests.

The priest centers his life and his priesthood in the Eucharist and, despite human limitations, he not only lives fully and is completed through his priesthood, but also he becomes a fountain of grace for his surroundings, a living testimony that inspires the lay faithful to sainthood, that attracts vocations for the Church, that builds and becomes a living presence of the supernatural. As a child, I saw my old pastor kneel in adoration before the Tabernacle. He never knew how much impact he had on my vocation through this gesture of worship.

That was also the case, for example, with Saint John Vianney, the Curé of Ars. As you know, Saint John was not a man with great intellectual faculties. He had many problems in learning Latin, which at that time was indispensable for ordination. With the desire to obtain the grace to pass the examinations, Saint John made a long pilgrimage to a Marian sanctuary which increased his devotion… but unfortunately not his grades. He just barely passed the final examinations, and only after several attempts.

When Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a rough army captain, decided to become a priest, he had great difficulties in learning some subjects, and even had to suffer the ridicule of his fellow students, who were much younger and many of them more brilliant than he.

Something similar can be said of that great saint from Cartagena, in Colombia, my native country, Saint Peter Claver, Apostle of the Slaves. For 10 consecutive years his superiors indicated in their reports that he was a man of marginal intelligence and little ability.

This doesn't mean that you young people, and especially you, dear seminarians of the archdiocese, are going to be saints with bad grades in your academic work…. What I want to say is that exceptional human qualities are not necessary for sainthood, nor are they a guarantee of effective apostleship. What Saint John Vianney, Saint Ignatius and Saint Peter Claver had in common is their profound closeness to the Lord, nourished on the altar of the Eucharist and transformed into exemplary sainthood as well as extremely fertile apostleship.



And this can be said not only of priests, but of all the faithful: Christians, Christian communities, parishes and movements which center their lives in meeting the Lord Jesus present in the Eucharist find that their fruits are abundantly multiplied in authentic and very fruitful evangelization.

It is for this reason that we can say that every crisis in the Church is, in reality, a crisis of sainthood; and that all renewal is a renewal of sainthood, the sainthood that springs from a personal encounter with Jesus Christ who is found in a very special and singular way in the Eucharist.

It is the Eucharist, in effect, which makes those tested through illness patient; husbands and wives faithful in their love for each other; priests and bishops zealous pastors who persevere in the holy aims of their consecration; young people that are strong and generous; and those who work in public life correct and just Christians.

I share with Archbishop Chaput an interest and passion for all that is good in the new media and technologies, especially the internet. Recently, Archbishop Charles pointed out how big companies developing technologies for the web were capable of expressing their goals in mission statements admirable for how concise and clear they are. I also share with him the conviction that, in the realm of "mission statements", the Church not only has nothing to envy, but in fact has been exercising leadership for the last 2,000 years. Didn't the Lord Jesus leave us a clear, concise and enthusiastic mission statement when He said to us "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit"?

This passage from the Gospels, which was the theme for your reflection in the Jubilee gathering which was organized by this archdiocese for Pentecost 2000, synthesizes wonderfully the mission of the Church.

But if this is the mission of the Church, it is also the mission of all Christians, of each one of us, of each and every one of you. The question naturally arises, then, how is this mission lived here in Denver, in the heart of the United States? What does Christ invite you to do, brothers and sisters who live in the "Mile High City"?

I'd like to answer this fundamental question with what Pope John Paul II wrote in that wonderful and very important document called "Ecclesia in America" (N68):

"The encounter with the Lord produces a profound transformation in those who do not shut themselves off from Him. The first impulse which springs from this transformation is that of communicating the richness acquired in the experience of this encounter [with Jesus]. It involves not only witnessing what we have known, but also, like the Samaritan woman, of making others meet Jesus personally: 'Come, see'"(John 4: 29).

This is exactly the point, brothers and sisters: Nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist, we take up our part in the great task of evangelization, since to evangelize is the joy and the vocation of the Church, its most profound identity. But as the Holy Father indicates, the uniqueness and novelty of the situation in which the Church finds herself today, at the beginning of the Third Millennium, requires that our evangelizing should have methods, tools and strategies which are also new -- and this is what we mean by the "new evangelization".

This new evangelization should be "new in its ardor, in its methods and in its expression," and it begins with the clear and unequivocal announcement of the person of Jesus Christ -- that is to say, the proclamation of His name, of His doctrine, of His life, of His promises and of the Kingdom that He has won for us through the mystery of His resurrection.

It is your work, brothers and sisters, all of you, which makes this a reality each day, every day, in the flesh-and-blood reality of your lives.

Not long ago, your archbishop, together with Archbishop Beltran of Oklahoma City, outlined the moral drama which underlies tragedies such as the massacre at Columbine high school, or the assassin's bomb in Oklahoma City. These are events which have shaken not only the United States, but also the world -- and people everywhere have asked themselves, "Why do these things happen in the most powerful country in the world, the one which has achieved the highest indices of material well being in history?"

The answer is obvious: If a society expects to build itself without God, it will not build itself on man's behalf, but only to man's detriment.

It is urgent, then, that our commitment to the new evangelization be translated into that awakening of the conscience which Pope John Paul II asked of the young people of the world during his visit to Denver. This awakening has two sources: first, the effort to know objective truth, including God's truth; and second, the light of faith in Jesus Christ, the only one who has words of eternal life.

This is the work of everyone, but especially of young people. "Drugs, the abuse of alcohol, pornography, sexual disorientation, violence: these are some of the grave problems that need to be faced seriously by all of society", said the Pope in the splendid setting of Cherry Creek, in that unforgettable World Youth Day which placed Denver forever in a place of privilege in the history of the Church.

The Pope also reminded you, "You are the guardians of your brothers and sisters!" The consciences of young people should rebel against all those personal choices which offend human dignity and disfigure the image of God within you. Remember, young people: There is no wholly personal sin. Every sin, including that which is unseen by fellow men, has repercussions in everyone and in all of society. It's for this reason, young men and women, that you are called to live a life that makes concrete and effective in your personal reality and surroundings, in your families and among your friends, in your schools and on the streets, and especially with respect to those persons who are most needy, the love of the Lord Jesus.

As the Pope warned you in Cherry Creek, this is a struggle which will be long and which needs each one of you. Put your intelligence, your talents, your enthusiasm, your compassion and your strength to the service of life! Don't be afraid. The outcome of the battle for life is already decided, even if this struggle demands that we face great challenges and endure great suffering.

But where will you find the strength to allow you to face these challenges? How many times, young people, have you felt overwhelmed by the burdens, by the worldly temptations, by the pressures of friends of your own generation, by the lack of comprehension of so many who want to convince you that the choice to be Christian may seem attractive . . . but is finally unreachable and unreal.

Don't lose heart! Those of you who had the opportunity to take part in the recent World Youth Day in Rome, together with the Pope, could see how many young people are ready to follow the Lord, to give witness that Jesus Christ is real, that love is real and that Jesus is the only answer to those deepest longings of man. It was a multitude! A multitude who demonstrated that those who want to follow the Lord, are not alone!

Even if each of you should lack companions in your effort to follow the Lord, you are not alone! The Lord Jesus has fulfilled, in the Eucharist, the promise which is the theme and the inspiration of this meeting: "I will be with you always, to the close of the age."

When the so-called "Cultural Revolution" began in China, a young Christian was pressured to renounce his faith. In the face of the refusal of this valiant witness to renounce Christ, insults and verbal abuse changed rapidly into physical violence. In agony after a brutal beating, the young man uttered a phrase, with his last breath of life, that should be a banner for every youth in every country: "Christ and I -- overwhelming majority."

Young man, … young woman: Jesus Christ, our Lord in the Eucharist, and you make an overwhelming majority!

That is why a personal encounter with the Lord in the Eucharist is indispensable. And here I'd like to remind you of the words which the Holy Father directed to you in the unforgettable encounter in Saint Louis.

"Your belonging to the Church cannot find better expression or support than your sharing the Eucharist every Sunday in your parishes. Christ gives us the gift of His flesh and His blood to make us only one body, one spirit in Him, to lead us to a deeper communion with Him and with the members of His Body, the Church. Make of the Sunday celebration in your parishes a real encounter with Jesus in the community of His followers: This is an essential part of your 'training in piety' to the Lord!"

I would like to deal now with one other vital subject, and this is the social responsibility which arises from the Eucharist. Saint John the Evangelist clearly warns us that whoever does not love his brother whom he sees, cannot love God whom he doesn't see. The love of the Lord present, but at the same time hidden, in the Eucharist urges us forward to transform the world which surrounds us into one that is more fraternal, just and reconciled.

It's up to us to realize the work of promoting solidarity and justice in a world marked by the process of globalization. Whoever lives in Denver is in some ways a privileged spectator of this process of globalization. Denver, in effect, has become a crossroad where growth, the arrival of people from different parts of the United States and the world, and the development of new technologies in the field of electronics and communications, all dramatically converge.

But in the face of this new reality, as Catholics we cannot limit ourselves to being simply spectators. Globalization is a complicated reality which has many facets, some of them very good, but others extremely dangerous for humanity. With the treasure of her social doctrine, the Church offers a vital contribution to understanding and solving the problems which the globalized economy presents.

How can we know when globalization is good, and when it works against culture and against man himself? When elements that promote human dignity and solidarity emanate from this new culture, only then do we know that we are dealing with a just expression of globalization.

All Catholics in America are called, not only to promote a greater integration among the nations, contributing this way to the creation of a true global culture of solidarity, but also to work together in reducing the negative effects of globalization; such as, the domination of the strong over the weak, especially in the field of economics, and the loss of local cultural values in favor of cultural homogenization.

In Denver, you have the great opportunity to put the Christian response to globalization into practice. And that is because, unlike other large North American cities, Denver still has the freshness of youth. It's still a new city, growing and expanding, one which is still developing its own identity.

In Colorado's process of discovering its identity, Catholics have a fundamental responsibility: that of constructing a society that is more just, in which an authentic "human ecology" is experienced; that is, an environment in which the men and women of the city are able to encounter God, themselves, their brothers and sisters and the natural beauty which surrounds them.

And for this, above all, it is fundamental that you give witness to unity. The Eucharist should be the means through which Catholics exchange their gifts. Catholics native to Colorado expressing their welcome and generosity, immigrant Catholics contributing their own wealth of experience, including testimony of the suffering that they may have experienced in the difficult process of settling in this land and leaving their own countries. Everyone, united in diversity, should find shelter under the mantle of our Lady of Guadalupe, whom Pope John Paul II has named the Patroness of America and of all Catholics who live in America.

Sisters and Brothers! We are living one of the most exciting moments in the life of the Church. Under one of the most important pontificates of all history, we have been called to renew the presence of the Gospel in the world, at the beginning of the new millennium. Through Christ, let us begin to build a New World that is pleasing to God. Let us find in the Eucharist the strength to place the enormous resources of this rich nation, blessed by God, at the service of a more human world.

America, the land of free men and women, use your freedom well! May union with the Lord in the Eucharist move you to defend life and the dignity of the human being, so that truly Denver, the United States, America and the whole world can be a place "made to the measure of man," because it has been made to the measure of God.

May God bless you.