padre pio and the eucharist
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BL024: EUCHARISTBL024: EUCHARISTProfessor: Sr. Ma. Cecilia Payawal, PDDM, SThL
August 19, 2010
1. In your own words, define “Eucharist”. What is “Eucharist”?
The Eucharist is a celebration of thanksgiving for the Paschal mystery
of Christ. This is the primary meaning which I have come to understand in
this very important subject. We ought to give thanks to the Father for having
given us the wonderful gift of salvation, given to us through Jesus Christ’s
Paschal mystery, or the passing over of Christ from this world to the Father,
through which God’s plan of salvation is fulfilled. We are able to receive the
three-fold gift of communion, encounter and reconciliation with God the
Father through Jesus Christ. Great indeed is the need to thank God for this
wonderful act of love for us that we need to celebrate it as often as possible.
Every Eucharistic celebration is a fraternal banquet, in which all are
united as brothers and sisters. It is a venue of true communion among
brethren who have the same love and devotion for Jesus Christ! And since
the Eucharist is a sacramental celebration, i.e., a making present, then it
truly actualizes that wonderful event in our human history in which Christ
suffered, died on the cross and rose—all because of love for us all! In this
remembrance of the one true salvific action of Christ, we experience the
same active presence of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Although we
can no longer see with our own eyes the bloody events which Jesus
experienced and His glorious resurrection, yet we can actually relive this
wonderful moment in time in the celebration of the Eucharist. It is definitely
a memorial of such a spectacular Paschal event!
Whenever we participate in this great thanksgiving celebration, we
cannot but be transformed by the presence of Christ. In other words, we are
being transformed by the grace of the person of Christ to be more and more
attuned to a life of virtue, of communion, of prayer and sacrifice, one that
has a truly dignified Christian existence.
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2. Read or re-read your notes and
handouts
a. See how some significant points are reflected in the movie Padre Pio.
b. How can you say that Padre Pio is a “Eucharistic person”? (Based on what he said and did, on some significant scenes in the movie.)
c. Who (aside from Fr. Pio) or what incidents reflect/s the meaning or theologies of the Eucharist?
I wish to answer this part in an integrated manner—i.e., integrating the
questions stated above. I find the questions very much connected and
similar that I think it is better to answer them in a single unity.
The movie Padre Pio is a story of a holy man who knew, loved and lived
the Eucharist in the truest sense. It was a portrayal of a man who lived
during the 20th Century, in the jaws of two bloody world wars and before,
during and after the great Second Vatican Council.
Sacrament of Sacrifice
To start with, his life was obviously a living martyrdom, not only
because of the Stigmata which he received but also because of the
persecution he experienced from different groups of people: his fellow
Capuchin friars, Church men (priests and bishops), lay people, and the Devil
himself. For example, a lady named Filomena reported to a bishop: “I’ve
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come here to report something terrible…he’s having an affair…her name is
Cleonice Morcaldi…” In another scene, the grand Visitator of the Vatican
accused him of something immoral: “Your relationship with Cleonice was not
just a spiritual one...” His life was truly a living Eucharist, i.e., a sacrament of
Sacrifice!
Memorial of the Paschal Mystery
Padre Pio’s Stigmata was a vivid
reminder of what Jesus Christ experienced
on the cross that caused Him his very dear
life for our own salvation. Through the
Stigmata, or the very wounds of Jesus
Christ himself, Padre Pio was a living reminder of Jesus Christ. Although his
cannot be a perfectly the same suffering as that of Christ, nevertheless the
Paschal Mystery which culminated in his death on the Cross and his eventual
resurrection, was being made present through the very life of Padre Pio.
Thanksgiving
It might be difficult to spot the aspect of thanksgiving of Christ’s
Paschal mystery in his life because much of the film’s focus was his
persecution and apostolate. But I see his happiness and satisfaction,
especially in the last stage of his life, notwithstanding all the persecutions
and temptations, is actually a form of
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thanksgiving, an act thanksgiving to a privilege of being able to encounter
Jesus Christ himself by being united with His suffering and pain, as shown in
his soliloquy right before his death:
“How many gifts, how many good things, how many miracles you gave me? You came to live and to suffer inside my body. Me in you and you in me…What a great mystery! Thank you my Lord…”
Development of the Liturgical Rite
In addition, I have observed one thing in the film: the positioning of the
Altar in the times when he was still a younger priest and when he was older.
In the scenes in the former, it is clear that he was celebrating the Holy Mass
with his back facing the people: a pre-Vatican II Liturgy. On the other hand,
in the scenes of the latter, especially when he had the encounter with the
possessed lady and when the Vatican’s Grand Visitator came to watch over
his presiding over the Eucharistic celebration, it was obvious that Padre Pio,
who died in September 23, 1968, lived during both eras: before and after the
Liturgical revisions of the Second Vatican Council. This was also tackled
during one of our discussions in class.
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Grace of Reconciliation, commitment to the mission and pledge of
eternal life
In the many scenes of the film in
which his confession apostolate was
featured, two theological meanings of
the Eucharist were presented:
Reconciliation and Transforming
Presence. In a particular instance,
when Emanuele, who eventually
became one of his staunch lay
supporters, was given absolution by Padre Pio he was filled with intense joy
because of being reconciled back to God. At the same time, he was also
transformed into a better and more virtuous man. Indeed when a person
encounters Jesus in the Eucharist, he cannot but be transformed into Jesus’
very likeness, albeit slowly but surely. When Padre Pio built the hospital, I
see the sense of communion of the a Church: a communal gathering and a
sharing in the mission of saving lives and caring for the sick, which Christ
Himself did during his earthly existence. The community makes present
Jesus Christ through their concerted effort of loving and caring for the sick
and war-victims.
3. PASTORAL IMPLICATIONS: From the discussion in class/handouts in class/handouts, what struck you most? What is it telling you, your community/parish, the Church, the world?
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What are some points, from our lessons, from the movie, that you are challenged to live out?
Among the many wonderful discussions we have had in this subject,
what really struck me most was when we discussed about the professor’s
article in the Lantayan Journal entitled “Know, Love and Live the Eucharist: A
Challenge to Asian Youth Today.” First of all, I felt that the discussion was not
only highly interactive but a reality check for me. After realizing that there is
still a great need to completely understand the beautiful theological meaning
of the Eucharist, I am challenged to do everything in my capacity to reach
out to these Asian youngsters, specifically in my own Filipino context.
The Eucharist is primarily a Thanksgiving. Hence, the disposition of
those who attend the Eucharistic celebration must be that of joyful gratitude
because of the Paschal Mystery of Christ, in which we all received the grace
of salvation—i.e., the relationship with God our Father which we earned
through Christ. Personally, I’m now compelled to teach as faithfully as
possible this profound meaning of the Eucharist, especially to the young
inasmuch as I am a Salesian, an educator of the young. I’m inspired all the
more to become both a pastor and companion to those who wish to see
Christ!
Moreover, I’ve become more conscious of my duty of bringing down to
the level of these young people the correct or precise theological meaning of
the Eucharist without compromising its fullness. I realize that indeed the
world, at least in my own Philippine context, still needs many human persons
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who are ready and willing to commit themselves in teaching these wonderful
things concerning our Catholic Faith, especially the Holy Eucharist. Making
the people understand the rich meaning of the Eucharist is actually leading
them to Christ himself.
Furthermore, I’ve come to realize that my Christian community needs
a lot of catching up to do! The result of the survey presented in the said
article is an indicator, in my opinion, that there is a kind of negligence on the
part of the Church, beginning with the bishops themselves. However, since I
have no control over them, I can do something which can be effective,
especially in making the young people know, love and live the Eucharist. If I
may suggest, first there is a need to look into the different Religious
education programs of our elementary and high school departments. We
need to start from the very basic. The Eucharist is so rich with symbolism,
meaning and theological significance that it must be an impetus for those
responsible of making, producing and approving the manuals or texts in the
said topic.
Aside from the school apostolate, another area which can be rehashed
is that of the Catechetical programs of every diocese. If the said survey gives
an empirical, nay obviously real data that many young Asians don’t have a
precise understanding of the Eucharist, then the Philippine Church should be
able to do something whether in the national or local church level. Each
diocese can actually produce instructional texts that can cater to this
particular issue. Since the Eucharist is the center of our Christian life, that is
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to say the uniting factor of the Church, then it is of paramount importance to
let every Christian, especially the youngsters, understand the rich meaning
of the Eucharist: a celebration of thanksgiving of the Paschal mystery of
Christ.
I don’t exempt myself from this impetus of reviewing my own lessons
on the Eucharist. As far as I am concerned, there is also a need to keep on
reading materials that can help me become a better educator: both in life
and in the classroom! I understand that I am now in the threshold of the Holy
Orders. Will I ever receive the gifts of diaconate and priesthood? Let me
cross the bridge when I get there. I realize that it is my duty to equip myself
with all the necessary tools to promote and teach Jesus Christ himself. In my
Theological formation, I challenge myself to really study, study and study the
truths of my Catholic Faith. Ultimately, I must be able to live everything that
I’ve learned in the classroom and in my study desk.
I’ve come to realize that my life is not all found in books and lectures
but also in the real apostolate. Whenever I go for the Apostolate, I will make
a point that I will lead the people, both young and old, to Jesus Christ. My
teaching can be more effective if taught not only through lectures, talks,
classroom discussions and formation sessions but also via showing good and
edifying examples. This latter part seems to be the most important, based on
what I’ve experienced. In my present apostolate in one Salesian parish in
Makati, I’ve learned that people don’t listen to a priest’s sermon or homily
unless he himself lives a virtuous life—one that is a living sacrifice for the
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sake of the salvation of souls. Many have approached and told me about this
brother this and that priest because of either their edification or because of
their getting scandalized of their lifestyle! This is a clear message for me that
my life is no longer a private matter—i.e., for my own consumption only! My
life can also be an example for others to imitate; my life can actually make
or break another person’s life.
Just like Padre Pio, one can live the Eucharist if there is also the aspect
of sacrifice. This teaches me to be humble, first of all. Jesus’ sacrifice on the
cross is a clear example of His own humility and obedience. One popular
Pauline passage made a lasting impression on me during our class in Pauline
Letters. It is the Kenosis passage in the Philippians 2:6-11. I actually wrote a
song based on this inspired passage and I treasure my own composition in
that it reminds me that Christ’s self-emptying is the best example of all as
far as humility is concerned. My own kenosis would be nothing compared to
Jesus’. However, I can become humble only when I learn to live a life that is
ever-faithful to my vocation: a Salesian, a religious, a follower of Christ.
The demands of the evangelical counsels seem to be too
overwhelming for me at this age. Nevertheless, I am compelled to follow
Christ because of a fundamental option of loving Him. In my theological
formation, there is a need to sacrifice so many things. First of all, there is a
need to sacrifice my precious time for leisure and pleasure just to study and
fulfill my basic duty in the Theologate. Another area is disregarding my
selfish interests for the sake of the community. I have my own preferences
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as far as schedules and activities are concerned. Instead, I put aside these
penchants and listen to the voice of the community. Another is in the aspect
of acquiring things. Letting go of the opportunity to buy my favorite MP3
player or cell phone or laptop is already a big sacrifice on my part. It’s part of
the pledge that I made in my religious profession—the spirit of poverty,
which is the total trust in divine providence and not relying on my own.
There is also the real sacrifice of not having a beautiful wife and children. At
present, there are a lot of appealing options the world is offering me! Am I
willing to let go of these mundane attractions? Yes I am! It is because I have
chosen to love my Jesus, the one who has called me among His worker! It is
indeed a daunting task! But I believe and am convinced that my fundamental
option of loving Jesus Christ will make me give away my life for the sake of
the salvation of others—my family, friends, students, everyone whom I
encounter and have not met yet.
Understanding the meaning of the Eucharist a very crucial stage that
when hurdled, it is much easier to proceed to the next phase: loving the
Eucharist. As what they say “you cannot love a person without knowing her
first,” a Christian cannot definitely say he or she loves the Eucharist if he or
she doesn’t grasp its full meaning. Ultimately, it’s not only the sacramental
Eucharist that everyone is enjoined to love. It is also the person of Jesus
Christ, who eventually leads us to the Father, in the Holy Spirit. In this way,
the relationship with the Trinitarian God is so much clearer because there is
already an adequate understanding of the basics. Loving Jesus Christ can
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make us appreciate the value of our Christian existence—one that is geared
to holiness.
We are called to live the Eucharist by actually desiring holiness, but
always in the context of the Church. The best venue where we can live the
Eucharist is none other than the Church, for it is where we receive the grace
of the person of Christ. When we gather in the Eucharistic banquet for
example, there is the aspect of praying as a community, in which Jesus is
actually present among us (Matt 18:20). Living the Eucharist also consists of
charity or love. And there is no better way of reaching sanctity than by
increasing our love for the one who also loves us very much: Jesus Christ our
savior and, I say, friend. We ought to love Christ in the perfect sense of the
word. We ought to follow his life, which is one of obedience to the Father, of
selfless and unconditional love for others, of virtues and of sacrifice.
-End-
Submitted by:
BRO. GINO GODINEZ, SDB
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