“The Eucharist is essential for us: it is Christ who wishes to enter our lives and fill us with his grace.”

Pope Francis

Recently my wife was able to score a great deal on tickets to the Broadway hit Hamilton. I have always been a history buff and a fan of musicals, so I had already read about the founding fathers and I listened to the soundtrack repeatedly. We rarely get to the theater and even less frequently visit New York City. At intermission, I was already so glad we made the trip. As I waited for the Second Act to begin, I overheard a few folks debriefing the First Act. Some shared they were not expecting all of the rapping, while others felt as though they were missing things because they were unfamiliar with the history. As I heard them processing a very different experience than my own, my first thought was “Who makes this trip and invests this time and money without knowing what you were coming for?” I shared my thought with my wife who quickly reminded me of the various shows we had attended for which we had never heard the music, nor did we have any clue about the plot.

On the ride home, I could not help but think about how the experience related to my faith. While certainly not entertainment, how prepared am I to enter into the Eucharist and receive the Word of God at Mass? While always receiving grace from the sacrament, what more could I receive, if I came more ready to receive? How do I immerse myself in the lyrics of the Church’s prayer in order to know the words by heart, in order to understand their significance? The Lord does not want me simply to be in the audience. He calls me to play a part in the story that He wrote uniquely for me. Am I up to the role?

by Daniel Cellucci

August 05, 2019




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