First Friday Homily

Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Friday of the 26th Week of Ordinary Time - Year II
October 3, 2008 (First Friday)

Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
Ps 139
Lk 10:13-16

I’m sure we all heard with great sadness the recent news of the professor from the University of Minnesota who issued an appeal, asking for someone to send him a consecrated host which he could desecrate. We know that he carried out this act and then posted pictures of it on the Internet for all to see. This professor made the Catholic news again this week because he has been promoting a series of YouTube videos posted by someone else who has also carried out similar acts of desecration. This news disturbs and saddens us. We can perhaps hear our Lord addressing these people with the words he addressed to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum in today’s Gospel: “Woe to you…” It is tragic that, like those towns of Jesus’ day, people see great signs worked in their midst, the great sign of the Holy Eucharist, and yet they reject Him.

Today being a First Friday, we recall our Lord’s request of St. Margaret Mary, that His people make reparation for such sins against His Sacred Heart, present in the Holy Eucharist. So much does our Lord love us, so much does our Lord love even those who would reject Him, that He allows us to make reparation for their sins. So, today, let us do so by such things as praying the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart or by making sacrifices for this intention. Of course, the greatest act of reparation we could make would be to humbly adore Him in this Mass and to approach to receive Him worthily.

This First Friday, however, is not only a call to make reparation for the sins of others. It is also an opportunity to examine our own attitude towards the Eucharist. Surely the thought of desecrating the Blessed Sacrament would not even enter into our thoughts, but we do offend our Lord in more subtle ways. For instance, what sort of language do we use to speak of the Blessed Sacrament in our conversations with others? How often do we come to Mass half-asleep, simply going through the motions and speaking the words thoughtlessly? How often do we approach to receive our Lord in Holy Communion while our minds and hearts are focused on the obligations that lie ahead of us that day?

For us who meet our Lord in this chapel day in and day out, the greatest temptation is to complacency. We can easily fall into a routine and fail to be fully engaged in what we say and do here. Today, let us beg the Lord for the grace to always come before Him with the attitude that Job had when faced with the wondrous presence of God, an attitude of humility and awe.

Tonight, throughout the world, Franciscans will be marking their founder’s Transitus, the crossing of St. Francis from this life to the next. Francis was a man burning with love for our Lord and for the Eucharist. He wrote to his brothers, encouraging them to approach the Holy Eucharist humbly. May these words of his inspire us to a more profound humility and more ardent love for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament:

“Let everyone be struck with fear, let the whole world tremble, and let the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the altar in the hands of a priest! O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers, look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by Him! Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally in return” (Letter to the Entire Order, 1225-1226)!