The Eucharist is the heart of the Church’s life and of our priestly ministry. It is a great treasure entrusted to us by Jesus Christ, and therefore we are called to be the first witnesses of love, reverence and devotion towards this Holy Mystery.
It is a source of profound sorrow when we witness acts of desecration against the Eucharist by individuals, including on social media. This should arouse the indignation of every person of goodwill. Our response must be to make reparation through ever greater reverence and by helping the faithful to grow in their knowledge and love of the Eucharist. We do this both through our preaching and catechesis, and through our own example in the celebration of the Liturgy.
Reverence for the Eucharist begins above all with the way we celebrate this Mystery. We must remember that Mass is not a private celebration of the presbyter or of the community, but an action of Christ and the whole Church (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7). This helps us understand that the way we celebrate must always reflect the fact that this is a gift we receive, not something we own. No one should regard the liturgy as his own property, to be manipulated according to personal preference (cf. Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, 11).
We should make every effort to help the faithful approach Holy Communion with the proper spiritual disposition and with the respect that is due. We wish to draw everyone’s attention to situations that may reveal a lack of reverence towards the Holy Eucharist. At times, because of insufficient formation or understanding, or for other reasons, practices may occur that are incompatible with the dignity of this Sacrament. In particular, those who distribute the Holy Communion are to see that the communicants consume the Sacred Host immediately and not carry it away or place it elsewhere. Where necessary, and always with charity and pastoral prudence, any behaviour that could lead to profanation or show disrespect towards the Eucharist should be corrected.
This vigilance should not be understood as the mere observance of rules, but rather as an expression of our love for Jesus Christ, truly present in the Eucharist. It is our duty to safeguard this treasure while at the same time helping the faithful to approach it with faith, understanding and profound reverence.
Soon, the Vicariate for Liturgy will issue a Pastoral and Liturgical Note that will further explain these important points in a practical manner.
