Building up the Temple

By Fr Jesse Maingot OP

We’re approaching the end of our 33 days to Eucharistic Glory. Consecration day is fast approaching on Corpus Christi. I’ve been amazed at how this journey has transformed so many people’s lives in such a short period of time.

It has given many of us a common language as we discuss Matthew Kelly’s daily readings.

As this journey ends, I hope we can continue our conversations in an intentional way. We need to continue to create spaces to simply talk about our love for the Lord.

I have had the joy of going around to many parishes and communities and listening to many testimonies. One thing that is so clear is the life-giving power of the Eucharist in people’s lives.

People have been telling me about how powerful the Eucharistic Lord has been for their marriages, for their anxieties and even for their health problems. Their witness has raised my conviction in the Bread of Life.

I have also been struck again and again by the hunger of people for silence. It is hard to find silence in our world today. Many have asked for our churches to be that place of deep silence to hear the voice of God.

There is an overall sense of people wanting a deep reverence expressed in the silent adoration before and after Mass. Many have asked me to try and encourage no talking within the church itself to create the silence needed to find peace and rest before the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle.

Many have asked for our church choirs to promote silence during the Communion meditation. We are called to build up the temple with both praises and silence.

Besides our need to guard silence, I would like to propose three other resolutions from our 33-day journey to Consecration. Firstly, I pray we can dedicate more time to seeking out spending time with Jesus in the tabernacle or in an adoration chapel. Jesus is there waiting to bestow gifts on us.

Secondly, I pray we can change the culture of ‘once Mass has ended most people leave quickly.’ What if we decided to sit back down and pray after the recessional hymn for a few minutes to honour the moment of Holy Communion with God. These are those most precious moments of our lives, and our prayer is most potent in these moments. There will always be time for fellowship. However, if we do not get the deep meditative silence with Jesus, we miss the opportunity to really be open to the graces we need to become Jesus in the world.

Thirdly, let us imitate the Eucharistic Lord. Let us be more giving of ourselves to others; let us be more available to those in need.

Jesus in the Eucharist is there for everyone, may we too be willing to give ourselves in service to everyone.

If you have a Eucharistic testimony of the encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, please email us to build the faith of others—eucharist@catholictt.org