Once when Jesus was with his disciples he asked. "...who do you say that I am?" When I hear or read that question my first response is usually, "Well, of course, you are God!!!" Now even that answer, looking at my day to day life needs to be examined. There is another context for that question. A few days ago there was an article in the newspaper about the closing of some more churches... in the great Archdiocese of New York, but I am sure the same things are happening in other large urban areas and small towns. So maybe it is from the tabernacle that we should be hearing that question. Whenever someone famous or infamous comes on the scene, large crowds gather, camera phones and hands reach out and people proudly say, I touched him or her... I don't even want to wash that hand, and they proudly share their digital photo.
When we enter a Catholic Church are we conscious of coming into the presence of a real human being, let alone the Lord, Jesus, the only Son of God the center of all good things, our eternal goal and our best friend? How many of us only enter a church when we 'hafta'.. go to a funeral or wedding or with a group we belong to. How often do we say, "How long is this going to last?" Would we go to any good friend's house with the same kind of attitude?
How about stopping in at a Church because our Friend who gave His life for us, who promised to be with us until the end of time, who invited the heavily burdened to come to him, who will receive us when we leave this life. Do we smile at the tabernacle? Do we begin with a greeting and gratitude for the audience with the greatest Person who ever lived. Do we think Jesus has a human pleasure at our company? We know his love is unconditional, but is it fair on our part to be so reluctant to visit, to speak and to listen to the One who is there.
One of the reasons for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction is to reawaken us to the reality of the Lord's presence in Catholic churches and chapels. How sad if we forget and look in vain elsewhere for wisdom and comfort in our daily problems. Let us not treat the living and loving Jesus as a symbol of a historical presence, but of God, our Lord and King, loving to be with His human creatures.
