In the year 304 AD 49 Christians were martyred in the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. Assemblies of Christians were banned by imperial decree; however the martyrs of Abitina, in North Africa were courageous enough to defy the decree. They accepted death rather than miss Sunday Eucharist.
When asked why they continued to gather for this ritual each Sunday; they replied, “Without the Lord’s day we cannot live.” “Without the Lord’s Supper we cannot live.”
Today, in our time, we should never forgot the extraordinary faith and heroism of the priests and people who have faced great danger and even death for gathering to celebrate the Mass. There are numerous accounts of Christians being persecuted for coming together in prayer and worship from the first centuries of Christianity up to our own time.
The Eucharist is about life! Our gospel (John: 6) reminds us that the Eucharist is about the life of Jesus and our sharing in it. John links the Eucharist to the Passover. The Passover is the setting for the multiplication of the loaves and fishes that linked it to the gift of the manna in the wilderness. This gift kept the chosen people alive in their desert years. Later they embraced the Torah in a similar way.” People do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Deut 8 : 3).
The gift of the Scriptures is a word of life to nourish the life of Jesus within us. John tells us that all of God’s gifts are made present in the person of Jesus. He is the Living Water, the Bread of Life, the True Vine, the Good Shepherd. He is the Light, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
We need the Eucharist, let us never take it for granted. Like the martyrs of Abitina, we cannot live without the Eucharist. If ever there was a challenge for us it’s to be faithful to the keeping of Sunday.
Do we really think of Sunday as the Lord’s Day – the Day of the Eucharist?
Could I invite you ask why we need to gather each Sunday?
Do we endeavour to participate as fully as we can with our bodies, minds and hearts in an enthusiastic way?
Let us not forget that every Eucharist that we participate in draws us into the life of Jesus.
We need that life!
Monsignor Paul Farmer
