by Bob Sullivan
The Eucharist has been in the news a lot lately, but not necessarily for the best reasons.
First, there was the study which showed that most people do not know or believe that the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. According to that study, 69% of Catholics believe that the bread and the wine do not become the flesh and blood of Jesus once consecrated, they simply conclude that they become symbols of Jesus. No wonder most Catholics rarely go to Sunday Mass anymore. If the Eucharist is just a symbol the Mass is a waste of time. Well, not a total waste. It is a nice way to pray – if you like that sort of thing.
But as you know, the Eucharist is not just a symbol.
The Eucharist is God in the flesh. This makes the Mass the most important thing anyone every “does” in their life. And the flip side of that is the unavoidable fact that skipping Mass is the most serious offense anyone ever “does” in their life. In fact, I believe that some day it will be revealed that all sin and suffering comes from missing Mass and disrespect of the Eucharist because this is turning your back on God and disrespect of God. From that, more sin flows. I know that Scripture already reveals that all sin and death comes from the fall in the Garden of Eden, but isn’t knowingly or recklessly denying the Eucharist and placing other things ahead of God your personal fall?
Then there are politicians, specifically those Catholic politicians who consider abortion to be acceptable, a necessary evil, or “sacred ground.” It is a sad thing to see people who are using their faith and the Eucharist for political gain. It is good to let other Christians know that you too are a Christian, but it is deceptive and manipulative to promote your membership in a Christian faith while your beliefs, actions, words, and desires are obviously in direct contradiction to the Christian faith.
On May 20, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone barred the U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, from receiving the Eucharist because of her public support of abortion and her frequent use of her Catholic faith to support her support of abortion. This is a very rare occurrence because it is only employed in the most serious and harmful of situations. It is also an act of extreme mercy.
It is merciful because Speaker Pelosi apparently does not believe that the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ, even though she appears to have adequate mental capacity to possess this basic understanding. Because of this, she should not present herself for receipt of the Eucharist while she is obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin. Speaker Pelosi not only declines to believe, she publicly and aggressively advocates for abortion while using her membership in the Church as propaganda.
Some accuse Archbishop Cordileone of politicizing the Eucharist, but such people either fail to understand the 2,000-year-old history of the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:27-32), or they intentionally distort the situation in order to mislead people and slander faithful Catholics. Archbishop Cordileone is simply restating 20 centuries of teaching on the Eucharist; it is politicians such as Speaker Pelosi and other abortion advocates and activists who are politicizing the Eucharist.
Archbishop Cordileone’s announcement is also merciful because he not only tried to work with Speaker Pelosi for a long period of time in order to help her understand that her actions were seriously sinful, but because the ultimate goal and purpose for his decision is one of continued prayer for her conversion. This is not an excommunication, but it has the same purpose of an excommunication – the conversion and salvation of the person’s soul.
The situation with Speaker Pelosi and other Catholic politicians and celebrity figures who speak and advocate in support of abortion such as President Biden and Senator Dick Durbin, is a serious problem for two reasons. First, the souls of these Catholics are in obvious peril of eternal damnation. This needs to be taken very seriously by their bishops who are obligated to care for their souls. Archbishop Cordileone, Bishop Paprocki, Bishop Baldacchino, and other bishops have taken their obligations seriously, which is again, very merciful.
Secondly, the public advocacy by these politicians, who also have the power and influence to guarantee access to a desire for abortion, is reaping an enormous death toll and leading other misguided people away from Christ and into the culture of death. To say that this is scandalous is a vast understatement. It is pure demonic evil.
Therefore, when people mention Archbishop Cordileone’s letter, it is important to mention the merciful aspects of his decision and the fact that he has not done something unheard of or unexpected. Speaker Pelosi has forced this by her radical statements and longstanding advocacy for abortion. She has put her political ambitions and interests far ahead of her faith for decades, and it is very good that she is now being given the opportunity to repent and make a serious adjustment in her priorities. This is her chance to publicly repair the damage she is causing.
With each passing day we are one day closer to the moment when we will be standing in judgment and will have to explain our words, thoughts, and actions with full knowledge of the gravity of these things, including our political advocacy. At that moment, we will not be able to retreat into willful ignorance. In the blink of an eye, all of us will pass from a life where our repentance and conversion are possible, to an eternity where that opportunity has expired. Fraternal correction now is an extreme act of mercy.
