Gratuitousness at the heart of mission

On Sunday, 21 July, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle concluded the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in the United States with Holy Mass at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Cardinal attended the five-day event as Pope Francis’ special representative. The following is the English text of Cardinal Tagle’s homily during the Eucharistic celebration.

My dear brothers and sisters, we thank our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the God who is Love, for gathering us, a family of faith, at this closing Mass of the National Eucharistic Congress. I bring to you the fatherly blessings of His Holiness Pope Francis. The Holy Father prays, as we all do, that the Congress may bear much fruit for the renewal of the Church and of society in the United States of America. Before coming here I asked the Holy Father if he had a message for you. He said, “Conversion to the Eucharist.” Since the Eucharistic Congress will be followed by a sending of Eucharistic missionaries, I would like to offer some points for reflection on the connection between Eucharistic conversion and missionary conversion.

(First point: Mission and Gift.) The theme of our National Eucharistic Congress is taken from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. In the fullness of time the Father sent His Eternal Word who became flesh through the Holy Spirit. He was present among us human beings as one like us in the flesh, except in sin. The Son sent by the Father came as a life-giving gift in the human flesh of Jesus. “My flesh for the life of the world,” Jesus himself declares. We should note that Jesus’ description of his being sent by the Father is always connected to the gift of his flesh for others. In John 6:38 He says, “For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of the One who sent me.” Jesus has a profound consciousness of having been sent, of being on a mission. He also says in John 6:32, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” But what is this bread? He says in verse 35, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus is sent to be given by the Father to others. He is not sent just to wander around and to enjoy himself. He is sent to be given. The missioner is a gift. Mission is not just about work but also about the gift of oneself. Jesus fulfills his mission by giving himself, his flesh, his presence to others as the Father wills it. The presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a gift and fulfillment of his mission. “This is my body for you, my blood for you,” always “for you, for all.” In Jesus mission and gift of self meet. The Eucharist is a privileged moment to experience Jesus’ mission as a gift of himself.

Dear friends, it occurred to me that where there is a lack of missionary zeal, maybe it is partly due to a weakening in the appreciation of gifts and giftedness. Do we still look at ourselves, persons, objects, work, society, events and creation within the horizon of gift? Or is this horizon disappearing? If our horizon is only that of achievement, success and profit, there is no room to see and receive gratuitous gifts. There is no place for gratitude and self-giving. There will only be a relentless search for self-affirmation that eventually becomes oppressive and tiring, leading to more self-absorption or individualism. When pessimism takes over, we see only darkness, failures, problems, things to complain about; we do not see gifts in persons and events. Those who do not see gifts in themselves and in others will not give gifts, they will not go on a mission. In fact some people prefer to relate with “friends” or “dates” generated by artificial intelligence because they do not see gifts in flesh and blood persons. Husbands and wives, what do you see in each other — a gift or a problem? Children, what do you see in your parents — a gift or an ATM card? Parents, what do you see in your children — a gift or a burden? Priests, what do you see in your bishops? Religious men and women, what do you see in your religious superiors? Bishops, what do you see in your priests and deacons? Friends, what do you see in a poor person? In a sick person? What do you see in someone different from you? Like Jesus let us give a gift of presence to each other. Go to Church, go to Mass with the gift of your flesh, voice, sweat, tears, smiles. Jesus gives his flesh, why can we not give him and the community the gift of our fleshly presence?

(Second point: Leaving the presence of Jesus.) Is Jesus a gift or a problem? He told his listeners in John 6 that to receive him means first to believe in him, and secondly to eat His flesh and drink His blood. The disciples who were initially eager to listen to him started doubting. They said, “This saying is hard. Who can accept it?” (John 6:20). They also questioned whether he had been sent by God since they knew him as the son of Joseph and Mary (John 6:42). As a result of this, many of his disciples left him, meaning “they returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him” (John 6:66). They returned to a way of life without Jesus. They chose His absence rather than His presence in their lives. Instead of accompanying Him, they walked alone. Their rejection of the gift of Jesus’ word, body and blood meant they would not walk with Him and neither could He send them on mission.

I invite you to pause and ask rather painful questions about the mysterious rejection of Jesus by his disciples. Is it possible that we disciples contribute to the departure of others from Jesus? Why do some people leave Jesus when He is giving the most precious gift of eternal life? Why do some baptized turn away from the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist? Does our biblical, catechetical and liturgical formation allow the gift of Jesus’ person to shine forth clearly? Does our Eucharist celebration manifest Jesus’ presence or does it obscure it? Do Mass goers manifest the presence of Christ through their witness of life, charity and mission? Do our parish communities provide an experience of Jesus’ closeness and caring? Are our families still the primary teachers and transmitters of the faith? Do the youth feel listened to and heard about their search for Jesus? What cultural mindsets challenge the faith in Jesus’ word and gift of self? Now I shift my line of questioning. Maybe there are people who desire to be present with the Lord but hesitate to come, like the poor, the homeless, the migrants, the refugees, the indigenous people, the hearing impaired, the elderly and many other “hidden” people who might feel they do not belong. But let us not lose heart. Jesus will not get tired of coming to us with the gift of himself, even when he is wounded.

(Third point: Eucharistic missionaries). After the departure of some disciples, Jesus asked the Twelve apostles, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:27-29). Jesus is asking each one of us, “Do you also want to leave me like the others?” I hope we can answer like St Peter, “We will stay with you. We refuse to live far from your presence.” But let these not be empty words. Like St Peter we should believe with conviction. Jesus does not impose himself on anyone. He appeals to our interior freedom. Faith and conviction are our gifts to Jesus who gives himself to us. So I ask you: will you stay with Jesus?

Those who choose to stay with Jesus will be sent by Jesus. The gift of His presence and love for us will be our gift to people. We should not keep Jesus to ourselves. That is not discipleship. That is selfishness. The gift we have received we should give as a gift. Have you experienced the tenderness of Jesus towards his tired disciples, offering them time to rest and eat, as recounted in the Gospel today? Go and share Jesus’ tender love to the weary, the hungry and suffering. Have you experienced Jesus’ compassion and guidance when you were like sheep without a shepherd? Go and share Jesus’ shepherd’s caress to the lost, confused and weak. Have you experienced Jesus’ wounded heart uniting those who are separated from each other (as St Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians)? Go and share Jesus’ gift of reconciliation and peace to those who are divided. In his letter to me, Pope Francis expressed the hope “that the participants of the Congress, fully aware of the universal gifts they receive from heavenly food, may impart them to others.” A Eucharistic people is a missionary and evangelizing people.

Let me close by sharing an experience. When I was a parish priest I noticed a woman who was extraordinarily devoted to the Church. On Sundays she arrived early to help in all the Masses and other activities, and went home only when the church had been cleaned and the doors closed. One day I thanked her for her dedication and thanked her family for allowing her to serve. Her answer surprised me, “Father, do not worry about my family. I stay here in Church and attend all Masses because I do not want to see my husband and children. I wish every day were a Sunday so I could avoid my family.” Dear friends, when the priest or deacon says, “The Mass is ended. Go in the peace of Christ,” please go! Go! What you have heard, touched and tasted, you must share with others. We have received the gift of Jesus, let us go to proclaim Jesus zealously and joyfully for the life of the world.