Finding in the Eucharistic Congress a call for unity and action

For the past three years, the U.S. Bishops have been preparing us for the first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years. Since it had been so long since the last Congress, many people were skeptical about the need for a national congress. Given the logistical hurdles involved, some even wondered why the U.S. Bishops felt the need to have one in the first place.
 
Having been blessed to attend the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, myself, with a delegation, led by Bishop James F. Checchio, of over 70 priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, and lay faithful, I can honestly say that it was one of the most impactful experiences of my life.
 
I would like to share at least one of my biggest takeaways from this year’s Congress, namely, that the Eucharist is not only an antidote to our political polarization, but also the means by which we will transform our culture and our world.
 
I. Division
According to the Pew Research Center, Americans have rarely been as polarized as they are today. As a nation, we are about to enter into yet another divisive election season. Recent events have only exacerbated these divisions. Then again, division is nothing new to humanity. Human beings have been at war with one another since the beginning. And these divisions extend beyond time and space. Even if we just look at our own history, it is evident that division has been present from the beginning. In early American history, there were divisions between East and West. As our forebears settled the West and filled in the Great American Desert, new divisions were created. Division between North and South led, of course, to a Civil War which took the lives of three quarters of a million people. While our Union was restored, divisions remained. In more recent years, new divisions have been created, continuing to divide us as a people, but what struck me about this year’s Congress is that the only solution to our problems, particularly our political divisions, is the Eucharist.
 
II. Unity
In his opening address, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, reminded attendees that our true unity lies in the Eucharist. Quoting St. Pope John Paul II, he noted that “‘The Eucharist is the sacrament and source of the Church’s unity.’ We don’t need to look for unity somewhere else, but in the Eucharist.” The theme of the Eucharist as “an immense gift for unity” pervaded the Congress via the music program. In an interview with EWTN, Dave Moore, music director of the National Eucharistic Congress, admitted that, “I think the goal of what we are trying to achieve with this is unity over uniformity.” Moore continued, “You’ll hear chant and choral music alongside praise and worship woven together, echoing throughout.” While we are united with the Pope and, of course, the Eucharist, we should never lose sight of the fact that, “For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another’’ (Romans 12:4-6). As Moore noted, “Music is the tip of the spear that should pierce the heart and cut the cloth of division.” Our diversity is our strength.
 
III. Mission
The Eucharist may be the source and summit of our faith, but it is also intrinsic to our mission. It is for this reason that Cardinal Pierre exhorted attendees, “Our main prayer for this Eucharistic Congress should be this: That we, as a Church, may grow in our unity, so that we become more fruitful in our mission.” It is perhaps no coincidence that, just as the disciples doubted Jesus at the conclusion of the Bread of Life Discourse, which Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in “the Chosen,” read so passionately during his speech Saturday evening, we find that the disciples are equally troubled by the Great Commission. It is our unity in the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that gives us the strength to “proclaim Christ to all peoples” (St. Pope John Paul II), including the baptized. The Eucharist is most certainly the “body, blood, soul, and divinity” of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but it is also the source of our unity. The Eucharist is quite literally “food for pilgrims,” which, as Pope Benedict XVI noted, is a source of strength “for those who are tired, worn out, or lost.” Is it any wonder, then, that our Lord chose bread and wine to symbolize his body and blood? As Congress speaker Julianne Stanz, consultant to the USCCB, noted in her breakout session, bread is a universal food. Every culture has their own version of bread. It is what unites us as a people. It is also one of the most nourishing and empowering foods in the world. And this is the point: The Eucharist doesn’t just unite us with the Body of Christ, it also empowers us (fills us up) to spread the Gospel message.
 
IV. Next Steps
Once again, it is no coincidence that the U.S. Bishops have dubbed this year the Year of Missionary Sending. Having completed the Year of Diocesan Revival and the Year of Parish Revival, as well as the first-ever National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, we are now being sent on mission. To aid us in this effort, the U.S. Bishops will be launching the Walk With One Initiative. This program is meant to encourage each and every Christian to share God’s love with at least one person and to walk with them throughout the year. Let us build on the work of this year’s Congress to bring about a true transformation of our society. In his commentary on the evangelical counsel of obedience, Bishop Robert Barron, in his keynote speech at the conclusion of the Congress, asked the question: “What voice do you listen to?” Do we listen to those who tell us how to obtain more “wealth, pleasure, power, and honor” (what St. Thomas Aquinas referred to as the four typical substitutes for God), or do we listen to a “higher voice,” the voice of God? Jesus’ disciples lived during an incredibly contentious period. And yet they changed the world and ushered in a period of relative peace and prosperity known as Christendom. We live in a very different world today–a much more diverse world, to be sure–but our Lord is with us (always) and He wants us to be united with him and our fellow man. Let us resolve here and now that we will answer God’s call, that we will put petty divisions aside in favor of God’s unity, and that we go and make disciples of all nations. Let us go, emboldened by these two years of preparation and revival. Let us go emboldened by our love of the Eucharist. Let us go forward in the unity of our faith and in our love for our Lord Jesus Christ. For, as Chris Stefanick so ingeniously noted in his energetic address at the conclusion of the Congress, two thirds of God’s name is … Go!

Adam Carlisle, is the Secretary for the Secretariat for Evangelization and Communication at the ​Diocese of ​Metuchen.