Almost all of us would like to be perfect, to be strong, to be unlimited. These presuppose our feeling of imperfection, weakness, and limitation. We do not like to have any blemishes on our face. We like to have a smooth, flawless, and white skin. We would like to have plenty of money, for money has become the measure of success. We desire for a long life. Other would go to the extent of seeking immortality in this world. We abhor diseases and aging. We would like to be a superman – a perfect man. In the process, we focus too much of ourselves – me, myself, and I; ako, ako, ako. We become self-referential. Human as we are, we can never be perfect by ourselves. We would only end up frustrated and imperfect.
What shall we then do with our imperfections? How shall we attain their perfection?
In the Gospel, a boy offered to Christ what he had; two fish and five loaves of bread, to feed thousands of people. Impossible. Imperfect. The two fish and five loaves of bread can feed only a handful of persons, but not by the thousands. They are imperfect means to address the problem of hungry of the people. Christ used this imperfect instruments offered to Him. He blessed them and distributed to the people. What seemed to be impossible and imperfect was made possible and perfected by Christ. The two fish and five loaves of bread fed the thousands. Christ was able to do so because the boy OFFERED his two fish and five loaves of bread, his imperfect means.
In the Eucharist, we encounter a God through the appearance of bread and wine. These are imperfect/limited materials to represent the Almighty and Living God. When you look at the host and the wine, they do not move. They do not seem to be alive. I was thinking, if God used in the Eucharist a beating heart, all by itself, to make Him present in every Eucharistic celebration, I think millions will remain faithful to Him, millions will adore Him. But God chose a bread and wine to make him present in every Holy Mass. The imperfection of these matters are described by St. Thomas Aquinas in his beautiful Eucharistic poem “Sight, touch, taste are all deceived in the judgment of You. On the cross, only divinity was hidden, but here (in the Eucharist) the humanity was also hidden. “ The bread and wine are imperfect instruments to make Christ present in our midst. But as they are OFFERED, prayed over, broken and shared, they become perfect means to present to us our God who nourishes us, our God who incarnated among us. The Eucharist through these imperfect matters becomes an effective means to strengthen our faith in God, through the Word we hear, through the Grace, we receive as we contemplate God’s sublime presence in the Eucharist.
What shall we then do with our imperfections? How shall we attain their perfection?
OFFER them to the Lord. (Because for the Lord) there is no imperfect offering from a generous soul. From these imperfect talents, physical appearance, shortcomings, and sinfulness, from our two fish and five loaves of imperfections God sees an opportunity to manifest His perfecting grace. God awaits the moment you offer, you surrender them to Him. Only then can God pray offer your two fish and five loaves of imperfection, and make them fruitful to others.
What then are you to offer to the God?
What are you two fish and five loaves of imperfections?
What shall we then do with our imperfections? How shall we attain their perfection?
In the Gospel, a boy offered to Christ what he had; two fish and five loaves of bread, to feed thousands of people. Impossible. Imperfect. The two fish and five loaves of bread can feed only a handful of persons, but not by the thousands. They are imperfect means to address the problem of hungry of the people. Christ used this imperfect instruments offered to Him. He blessed them and distributed to the people. What seemed to be impossible and imperfect was made possible and perfected by Christ. The two fish and five loaves of bread fed the thousands. Christ was able to do so because the boy OFFERED his two fish and five loaves of bread, his imperfect means.
In the Eucharist, we encounter a God through the appearance of bread and wine. These are imperfect/limited materials to represent the Almighty and Living God. When you look at the host and the wine, they do not move. They do not seem to be alive. I was thinking, if God used in the Eucharist a beating heart, all by itself, to make Him present in every Eucharistic celebration, I think millions will remain faithful to Him, millions will adore Him. But God chose a bread and wine to make him present in every Holy Mass. The imperfection of these matters are described by St. Thomas Aquinas in his beautiful Eucharistic poem “Sight, touch, taste are all deceived in the judgment of You. On the cross, only divinity was hidden, but here (in the Eucharist) the humanity was also hidden. “ The bread and wine are imperfect instruments to make Christ present in our midst. But as they are OFFERED, prayed over, broken and shared, they become perfect means to present to us our God who nourishes us, our God who incarnated among us. The Eucharist through these imperfect matters becomes an effective means to strengthen our faith in God, through the Word we hear, through the Grace, we receive as we contemplate God’s sublime presence in the Eucharist.
What shall we then do with our imperfections? How shall we attain their perfection?
OFFER them to the Lord. (Because for the Lord) there is no imperfect offering from a generous soul. From these imperfect talents, physical appearance, shortcomings, and sinfulness, from our two fish and five loaves of imperfections God sees an opportunity to manifest His perfecting grace. God awaits the moment you offer, you surrender them to Him. Only then can God pray offer your two fish and five loaves of imperfection, and make them fruitful to others.
What then are you to offer to the God?
What are you two fish and five loaves of imperfections?
