Faithful enjoined to 'taste and see the goodness of the Lord'
Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 September 2012 16:21 25 September 2012
CHARLOTTE — Standing before the Blessed Sacrament, his bishops, his fellow priests and the community of deacons, religious and laity, Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, delivered a powerful homily during the Holy Hour at the Eucharistic Congress Sept. 22.
More than 6,000 people listened intently to the 30-minute homily, which focused on Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and His undying love for humanity.
"'Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.' This familiar refrain, taken from Psalm 34, summons us to deeper relationship in God, that we know by personal experience the kindness of our Creator," Monsignor West said.
"The summit of this invitation comes in grace-filled words spoken by the Lord Himself: 'My Flesh is real food and My Blood real drink. Everyone who feeds on My Flesh and drinks My Blood remains in Me and I in them. Just as the Father who has life sent Me and I have life because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will have life because of Me.'"
Monsignor West then explained that we can get caught up in all sorts of reasons why we cannot respond to God's divine invitation – feelings of unworthiness, guilt about the past, worries about who or what we may have to leave behind.
He reiterated that God's loving invitation is offered again and again, though, to "taste and see the goodness of the Lord."
But even with all of God's signs and wonders He offers mankind, there is still disbelief.
"We often grumble, asking greater signs of God's love, we demand that God prove His faithfulness," Monsignor West said.
"The Eucharist is the response of Almighty God to humanity's steady and consistent pleas."
Jesus, God with us, is encouraging us to move beyond our present, limited knowledge into a deeper relationship of faith, he preached.
"What will you do? Our Lord is inviting you to eat and drink, to be satisfied and to be strengthened at the table of His Word. There is urgency to Our Lord's invitation because tomorrow is promised to no one.
"You have come so far on the journey, why turn back now?
"Please come while you still have the opportunity. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."
— SueAnn Howell, staff writer
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