In Essence

 

In Essence

I just returned home from attending the National Eucharistic Conference that was held in Indianapolis.  It was an amazing experience.  There were over 50,000 people in attendance with hundreds of speakers and learning sessions.  There were numerous opportunities over the five days to experience Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  Tens of thousands took their faith to the streets and followed our Eucharistic Lord through the streets of the city.

The climax, as most fitting, was a Mass that was unlike anything else that I had witnessed.  The opening procession, which included hundreds of acolytes, deacons, priests and bishops took nearly half an hour.  Cardinal Luis Tagle from the Philippines was the celebrant as the Papal Envoy, and he delivered a heartfelt and stirring homily and the prayers and blessings of Pope Francis.  Music was provided by the Indianapolis Orchestra.  For many of us, this was likely the Mass of our lifetime.

But, if I had to point out one thing that captured the moment for me, it was a little girl of maybe five or six years old.  I was seated on the fifth of six levels in the Lucas Oil stadium; the little girl was all the way down on the floor level. 

As the opening music played and that seemingly endless opening procession moved from the right and up the center aisle, way over to the left side, at the back of the space this little girl in a white dress had stepped out into the aisle where she had about ten feet of open space.  She began to dance and twirl. 

Her motion caught my eye.  I wondered at first if her parents were horrified and embarrassed, but no one came to pull her back, and the girl continued to dance.  Soon, another girl joined her.  She was about half the size and also wore a white dress.  Sisters, I thought.  The smaller girl tried to match the grace of the taller one.

Perhaps they were just antsy children who just couldn’t stay still.  But I think the older one felt the sway of the angels who had joined this Liturgy of Heaven in Communion with Earth, and she simply joined in.  She was caught up like King David who danced before the Ark of the Covenant.  And, perhaps the younger sister just wanted to have what he older one had, and do what she was doing, but the truth is that joy is attractive and we are drawn into it.  For my heart, they were the image of the essence of the entire Congress.         

“Then young women shall make merry and dance, young men and old as well.  I will turn their mourning into joy, I will show them compassion and have them rejoice after their sorrows.  I will lavish choice portions on the priests, and my people shall be filled with my blessings.”  Jeremiah 31:13-4

His Peace <><

Deacon Dan

Photo by Galina Kondratenko on Unsplash