A Death We Celebrate

Sacred Hearts Convent - June 5, 1983

We have seen many prominent men die a violent death in our time. Americans like John and Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King, the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and others. They are still remembered in memorial services, but these are sad and somber. The reason is that the death of each one of these men seemed so pointless. We feel they could have done so much more good had they lived on... Their life's work had just begun...

How different was the death of Jesus! He too died in the prime of life: only 33 years old. He had spent only three years at the most, fulfilling his unique mission. But his death, rather than being pointless, was the most significant act ever accomplished in the history of mankind. Nor was his life's work abruptly cut off. Despite his youth, he had done all he had come to do. In fact, his life reached its climax when he died. For Jesus had come principally as a Savor, to destroy death and sin by his own death on the cross. And his resurrection put the seal of victory on his death.

Moreover, Jesus died of his own free choice; it was something he freely accepted. He was put to death only when his time had come. Many a time, the Jews tried to kill him, but somehow, they were restrained, and Jesus went away unharmed. This is what happened, for example, one day when he preached at Nazareth and infuriated the people, so much that they attempted to throw him from the top of a cliff, but Jesus simply walked through their midst without a man laying a hand on him. (Lk 4:29-30) Jesus made it very clear: "No one takes my life from me: I lay it down freely." (Jn 10:18)

On Holy Thursday, Jesus knew his hour had come. He had waited and prepared well for this moment. During his public ministry, he had even given signs of what he would do. Today's Gospel episode, the feeding of the 5,000, was one of those signs. In John's Gospel, the multiplication of loaves and fishes is followed by Jesus' discourse on the Bread of Life, which explains the Eucharistic meaning of the miracle. "I am the bread of life." It is I who will feed them spiritually. (John 6:1 ff.)

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, "This is my body... This is my blood. Then he added these words so rich in meaning for us: “Do this in memory of me.”

The Eucharist is a memorial service in which we remember Jesus' sacrificial death. Paul has something beautiful to say about this in today's second reading: "Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you PROCLAIM the death of the Lord until he comes." In our memorial service, which is the Mass, we PROCLAIM THE DEATH OF JESUS, we shout it out with joy, for it is the GOOD NEWS OF OUR SALVATION. "In dying, Jesus destroyed our death, in rising he restored our life." His death, appeared to be a tragedy, like the deaths of the Kennedys, of Martin Luther King and of Sadat. But in God's plan and by his power, it was a moment of Victory, of triumph. His whole mission was accomplished. "Consummatum est; My work is completed."

The Eucharist is our means of celebrating that death, with all the overtones of joy the word celebrate suggests. His death is our salvation, and when we receive Holy Communion, we have a pledge, a promise, a guarantee that we too will share in his resurrection, when he comes again in his glory.

At the Last Supper, Jesus, knowing that the time for him to return to his Father was approaching, gave us something to remember him by. "Having loved those who were his own, he loved them to the end." He is asking each of us as we celebrate the Eucharist, never to forget how much he loved us. "Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord." Amen.

Sermons on the Eucharist Index