Brothers and sisters,

What do you believe in? Everyone believes in something, whether they name it faith or not. Some anchor their lives in what can be measured and proven. Others trust their own experience and knowledge. At this time of year, even the secular world sprays out the word “Believe” in advertisements and Christmas specials—a belief in magic, in wonder, in the goodness of the season. These glimpses of belief remind us that we are made for something more, that the human heart yearns to trust in something greater than ourselves.

Yet every Sunday, we are offered the answer to that yearning. We gather and stand before our Lord in the Eucharist—not for sentiment or magic, but for an encounter with the living God. At the simple statement, “The Body of Christ,” we give our assent as we proclaim, “Amen.” This is a statement of faith. In the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit descends upon the gifts of bread and wine offered. Through the priest, Jesus’ words are efficacious—meaning powerful—”This is my body… This is my blood.” This “consecration” is crucial to our understanding of the Eucharist.

But what does it mean to honestly believe in this gift? We cannot take belief in the Eucharist for granted. We have to put this belief in Jesus’ abiding presence and intervention at the very core of our lives. We must calm our curiosity, which consistently asks, “how is this possible?” and instead ask the more pertinent question: “why did Jesus give us this great gift of the Eucharist and call forth priests to make this gift available to us?” When I think of this essential “why,” I am challenged to go deeper in my belief.

The belief is not simply that Jesus is truly present. The “amen” of our assent cannot stop at recognizing Jesus in the Body and Blood. The real challenge of believing in the Eucharist is accepting that we, too, are consecrated. Our lives are impacted by Jesus and his call to be members of his Body. We cannot simply go about in the worldly way. As Isaiah calls us to do, we must transform our lives into “plowshares” and “pruning hooks.” Our lives must bear witness to the fruit we cultivate through participation in the Eucharistic mystery.

This transformation, however, begins with humility. We recognize that we cannot accomplish it on our own. If we accept belief in the Eucharist, we are compelled to a life of penance and conversion. We abhor our sin, yet we cannot overcome it by our own power or the strength of our will. We need God’s grace and mercy. You are encouraged to prepare yourself as an offering by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confessions are regularly offered on Mondays just after the 8 am Mass and from 11 am-12 Noon, on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 pm, and on Fridays from 4-6 pm. Additional times for confession are available this Wednesday from 6-7 pm, with even more times next week.

This transformation, however, begins with humility. We recognize that we cannot accomplish it on our own. If we accept belief in the Eucharist, we are compelled to a life of penance and conversion. We abhor our sin, yet we cannot overcome it by our own power or the strength of our will. We need God’s grace and mercy. You are encouraged to prepare yourself as an offering by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confessions are regularly offered on Mondays just after the 8 am Mass and from 11 am-12 Noon, on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 pm, and on Fridays from 4-6 pm. Additional times for confession are available this Wednesday from 6-7 pm, with even more times next week.

As we prepare our hearts through penance, we also pause to celebrate all that the Lord has done to enter into our presence. He prepared Mary as a worthy vessel for the incarnation of Jesus. Join us on Monday, December 8, for this holy day of obligation as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. God has truly done amazing things in Mary. Mass will be celebrated at 8 am, 4:30 pm, and 7 pm. Later in the week, we are invited to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a reminder that Mary continues to spread the faith in Jesus, her Son. She strengthens the Church for the greater glory of God. On Friday, we will offer Mass at 8 am and at 7 pm.