Miracle of the Host

Here at Rimbrook, the tabernacle requires a digital security code to be opened (no, I'm not kidding. Actually, I believe a lot of churches have the same). This evening we had benediction, and as I bent forward in prayerful adoration waiting for ciborium to be placed on the altar, I heard the less-than-reverence-inducing tones of:

beep-beep... beep-beep-beep

As I later made note of in confession, I haven't been concentrating well in prayer lately. This pushed me over the edge. I had to stifle a laugh.

Quite frankly, at first thought, it seemed a bit ridiculous to me. Why would you keep the Blessed Sacrament in a safe? Isn't it a bit pedantic and extravagant? Besides, nobody would want to steal Jesus anyway... would they?

Between 1465 and 1469, Paulo Uccello painted a spatially superb but rather disturbing series called Miracle of the Host. The legend basically tells of a poor Christian woman stealing the host from Mass and selling it to a pawn broker. He (a Jew) puts it on the barbecue (or Renaissance equivalent thereof) to cook for his family's dinner (as you do...). However, the burning host begins to bleed, alerting the soldiers and authorities to this heinous crime. The woman is hung, the Jewish family are burned at the stake, and they all live happily ever after.

Turns out some people would want to steal Jesus.

As I thought about it more (super holy thoughts like - 'maybe they just want to protect the expensive ciborium'), I realised that I was thinking in earthly terms. 

See, while a lot of people would look at the Eucharist and think, "Oh, how nice. A piece of bread. It's even round! Whoop-de-doo!" we as Catholics see things differently. The Eucharist is Jesus. 

If we are living out a true spirit of Christianity, God should be the most valuable thing in our lives. The Eucharist is the most sacred, the most precious physical substance on this earth. By locking it up safely, even behind an electronic door, we're saying that this little piece of bread is worth more than gold. It's worth more than the vessel that carries it. It's worth more.

Our Lord should be so safeguarded in our hearts that not only a digital security code, but a veritable sledgehammer would be necessary to remove Him. 

AMDG