In a way we have come to the termination of our Lenten journey which may seem to have begun only a few days ago. Regardless of the time, we have had the opportunity to consider what a journey is and how, hopefully, this Lent 2008 journey has impacted our lives.
In the second act of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, you can read these words: " ... journeys end in lovers meeting ...." These words and our journey speak about the culmination of all these past forty days: we now realize how each day was a building block leading toward our encounter with Jesus during these three solemn days of the Sacred Triduum ... and encounter that has brought about a change even in our hearts. Hopefully we have seen ourselves in the life and words, the struggles and joys of the life of Jesus brought to us in the daily scripture readings and other sources presented in this blog.
Today we reflect upon the gift that distinguishes us from all Christians because of what we call "transubstantiation." We believe that with the words of consecration in the liturgy, the bread and wine become for us the richest gift we could ever receive.
Today Catholics come home, as it were, from their Lenten journey. We come home to where Jesus is for us: the Eucharist. The words of Oliver Wendell Holmes offer a thought that can enrich our own perception of the Eucharist and what it can mean to us: "Where we love is home.... Home that our feet may leave, but not our heart. (Homesick for Heaven)"
Our journey these past forty days has taken us on different routes, perhaps many routes. However, today we find ourselves back where we started ... but enriched by prayer, fasting and almsgiving ... and perhaps we will see the eucharistic treasure as it truly is ... for the first time.
The responsorial psalm so well serves us after this reflection by leading us into the day of Christ's passion, his suffering for us and ultimately his life-giving death.
Our blessing cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
