Nov 23 Thu
In the tabernacle, Christ himself is present in the Holy Eucharist.
Since Christ's coming to earth, the Church is truly the place of God's presence among men. The center of our churches and chapels is the tabernacle. Christ himself is really present in the sacrament of the Eucharist, with his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
Moreover, on the altars of our churches the sacrifice of the new and everlasting Covenant is renewed in the unbloody immolation of the sole victim of Calvary.
Each church is the house of God; Jesus is there, sacramentally present. It is not surprising, therefore, that we make every effort to adorn our churches in the most dignified way possible, and that we take great care of them.
To reach God, we need to make use of our senses and emotions. Therefore, we need images to assist our devotion, and everything should be clean and attractive. St. Josemaría, “Sacred art should lead us to God and respect holy things. Its goal must be to foster piety and devotion. For many centuries religious art was the best art because it followed that rule, respecting its intrinsic purpose. But the modernistic images are so often caricatures."
A Christian can find God anywhere, because he always bears him within himself. His soul in grace is a temple of the Holy Spirit. “Your ordinary contact with God takes place where your fellow men, your yearnings, your work and your affections are. It is in the midst of the most material things of the earth that we must sanctify ourselves, serving God and all mankind." But to do so, we must always show great refinement and love towards Jesus in the tabernacle, where he has wanted to remain hidden, waiting for us like an eternal lover.
“I think that God looks with special affection on persons who put love into everything related to worship, and who make sure that churches are dignified, decorously maintained and cleaned, and that the altars are sparkling, and the sacred vestments are well kept. God will look upon them with special affection, and He will more easily overlook their weaknesses, because they show by those details that they believe and love."
Somehow, our chapels should be icons of the house of Nazareth, where we can tell St Joseph: “Joseph, a blessed and happy man, to whom it was granted to see and hear God, whom many kings desired to see and hear, but neither heard nor saw. And not only to see and hear him, but to carry him in their arms, kiss him, clothe him, and guard him: pray for us.” Let’s ask our Lady to teach us how to show Jesus the same refinement and love that she showed Him at Nazareth, and throughout her whole life.
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