Do you see Jesus each time you are at Mass? Even better, do you experience Jesus Christ in the many ways that He is in our midst?
In the Gospel, Jesus tells us, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Jesus Christ is with us. He is among us through grace. He is in us, for we are the Body of Christ, as St. Paul reminds us in his letters.
Look around you at Mass. Those you see are members of the Body of Christ. Rather than judging others, we need to recognize that each one is a member of Christ, and all are needed if Jesus’ work is to continue in the world. Do you see Christ in them and in yourself whenever they or you act in grace? We need to pray that we have Jesus’ eyes and Jesus’ heart whenever we gather together.
Do you hear Jesus speak to you in the word of the Gospel and the other scriptures? Do we allow His Word to speak to our minds and settle in our hearts? Do we take seriously the prayer that the deacon or priest prays as we prepare to listen to the Gospel? “Lord, be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart that I might worthily proclaim the Holy Gospel.” We all need to allow the Gospel to speak to our minds and our hearts, so that when we speak to others our words might be words of grace.
Do we recognize Christ Jesus in the Eucharist as we are joined in communion with Christ our Head and with our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ? Jesus came to reconcile us to one another and to all, and it begins each time we pray the Our Father and each time we receive Communion.
Yes, each time we gather together in Christ for Mass, Jesus fulfills His words to us: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Christ is more present than we often think.
Jesuit Father John Michalowski is the parochial vicar of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.