Jesus begins to institute the Eucharist — and the Olympics makes sacrilege against it

The aim of National Eucharistic Congress that concluded last Sunday was to inspire and teach Catholics about the source and summit of our Christian life, namely Christ himself, present in the Eucharist.

And it’s no accident that the Congress concluded when it did — because now — the Church begins 4 weeks of Gospel readings devoted to John chapter 6 — Jesus’ “Bread of Life” discourse with his amazing claim: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”

Today is the first stage of Jesus’ teachings to help his disciples — understand the great gift of himself in the Eucharist. Jesus begins not by speaking, but by demonstrating — his power to multiply bread and fish to feed the multitudes. This got everyone’s attention!

That same day he withdraws from the crowds to pray. He sends his disciples acrsss the Sea of Galilee in a boat — and comes to them walking on water to demonstrate his “mastery over matter.” He is setting them up to hear his bread of life discourse with reason to believe him saying, “my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”

Understandably, his listeners ask “how can this man give us his body to eat and blood to drink” and many of his own disciples surmise “this is a hard saying, who can receive it?”

So, many leave him over this teaching because it seems so ludicrous and scandalous. But… Jesus will answer that question at the Last Supper by taking bread and saying “this is my body.” — and taking the chalice of wine saying “this is my blood.”

By the will of God and the power of Jesus words reality changes. Our reality came into existence by his words - and it can be changed by his words. Let there be light! Rise up and walk. Lazarus come forth. This is my body…this is my blood.

In the Mass — in the “institution narrative” — priests quote the words that Jesus spoke at the Last Supper. It is a sacred moment when the “source and summit of our Christian faith” is offered to us, the Bread of Life, namely the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ himself.

Jesus sacrificed himself — to rescue us from sin and death. And we celebrate the “sacrifice of the Mass” — that makes Christ present to us so we may receive him. Fr. James Meager wrote a book entitled, “How Christ said the First Mass.” It’s all about the Last Supper.

And the Last Supper is why — what happened during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games with the whole world watching — was such a despicable sacrilege. The ceremonies included an elevated stage of actors in deliberate mockery of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting of the Last Supper of Jesus & his disciples.

But the Olympic ceremony used live actors: men dressed as woman — drag queens — in hyper-sexualized costumes — in open public contempt for Christianity. The Olympics ceremony artistic director Thomas Jolly, said he wanted to “display inclusion,” and was unaware of criticism. Well it’s coming. It is pure evil hypocrisy to exclude 1.2 billion Christians around the world by ridiculing what they hold most dear — their faith — and compliment yourself by calling yourself inclusive. It is not “inclusive.” It is sacrilege.

CCC 2120: “Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things, or places consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin especially when committed against the Eucharist, for in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made substantially present for us.”

Bishop Robert Barron said in relation to the Olympic sacrilege that our atheistic, perverse, anti-Christian society “knows who its enemy is. They are telling us who it is and we should believe them.” It’s us.

The world is under the dominion of a malevolent spirit we call the devil. From the Garden of Eden he has deceived the human race into rebelling against God and his ways. We are in a battle. Many people under the power of “sin” are enamored by it — and celebrate it. They need to repent of it — to receive the forgiveness on offer through Jesus Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. And we need courage to stand for the truth. Admonishment of a sinner is a spiritual act of mercy.

We who believe in Christ and the Creed we recite together are the enemy of evil that traps us in Sin. In Christ we are free of it. So, the Bishop adds, “Catholics must not be sheepish” and need to “resist and make their voices heard.”

So Let’s make Mr. Jolly, not so Jolly shall we? Let’s inform him and the Int’l Olympics Committee of our criticism of their ceremonies.

• You can contact the International Olympics Committee at: Olympics.com/IOC/contact-us.
• Or call them by phone in their Swiss headquarters: +41216216111.
• Contact NBC news who is covering the Olympics: NBCnews.com

Yesterday Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Minnesota, who chaired the National Eucharistic Congress — called on the church throughout the world to gather at Mass “with renewed zeal” and “pray for healing and forgiveness for all those who participated in this mockery," saying, “let us commit ourselves to greater prayer and fasting in reparation for this sin.” May we always offer the truth in love. And acknowledge Jesus so he will acknowledge us before the Father.