Erected by Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church depends entirely on the life of its Divine Founder, in which humanity participates through the Sacraments. The vitality of the Mystical Body lies in the grace they transmit, especially through the Holy Eucharist.
A most ardent devotee of this Sacrament, Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira affirmed that it is thanks to the mysterious presence of Our Lord in the Sacred Species “that the history of the world unfolds, virtue increases and the Church grows, and grows even when she seems to be dwindling” (Conference, 3/4/1969). He was also convinced that if there were only “one priest to say Mass, one consecrated Host, and one believer with faith and devotion in relation to that Host” (Conversation, 4/10/1988), this would be sufficient to achieve not only a restoration of society, but to give rise to new wonders, superior to all those that previously existed.
Based on renowned theologians, Dr. Plinio explained that “the Sacrifice of the Mass has such an inestimable and infinite importance that, literally, if on a given day it ceased to be celebrated, God’s justice would fall upon the world and destroy everything” (Conference, 8/4/1971).
This certainty led him to the conclusion that the truly vital point in the struggle between good and evil “is that many Masses be celebrated, and that they be fittingly celebrated by the priests, and that the faithful participate in them, also fittingly” (Conversation, 22/8/1988). If there were widespread Eucharistic devotion in the world, society would be different, for everything depends, in the last analysis, on our love for God, which is demonstrated precisely in times of trial.
Today, as social discontent and concerns about climate change escalate, who is seeking to assess the state of our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament? Do we still hold Our Lord as the vital centre of our existence, or are we indifferently growing accustomed to a world without Jesus Christ and without supernatural life?
After posing this question, we might further ask: does He not have much to lament in our days? Let us remember that one of the first forewarnings of God’s punishment is His withdrawal from the midst of men, heeding their sad wish to live on a merely earthly plane…
If the power of the Eucharist is infinite and constitutes the true life of the Church, all events will gravitate around this Sacrament. Thus, no matter how small the number of its authentic devotees, the clock of God and of history will always depend on faithful, steadfast and fervent souls: those who ardently love the Holy Eucharist.
Therefore, are we not living, in these troubled times, the realization of the prophetic dream of St. John Bosco, who saw the salvation of the Church in the twofold devotion to the Eucharist and Mary? ◊
Photo: Sérgio Miyazaki
