“Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” (Mt 25:6) There are many opportunities to answer this call, but the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage sounds a unique note in this country’s history, and “the ANSWER” Eucharistic Rally will be a special source of grace for our diocese.
Throughout the New Testament, the Lord Jesus is described as “the one who comes” (Mt 3:11) or “the one who is coming into the world.” (cf Jn 18:37) This fact is boldly proclaimed by His eucharistic presence on pilgrimage. Through the Eucharist, the Lord’s coming is renewed and represented as often as we celebrate and wherever we celebrate. The Eucharistic King is present on every altar and in every tabernacle, simultaneously, “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” (Roman Missal, 3rd edition) He truly is the one who is coming into the world. The eucharistic mystery allows the very same Christ to draw tens of thousands of Catholics from across our nation to join the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage (NEP) routes that will converge in Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress (NEC). What graces might come when the hearts and minds of Catholics everywhere draw their attention to the Lord, who draws them into His Sacred Heart offered to the Father in every Mass?
We can expect that this solemn coming into our country of the Divine Bridegroom will fill the country with graces that will empower each of us to witness and speak of the love we have found in Christ. Regardless of what unfolds in the upcoming days, we will be marked as visited and loved. Then, we will ask a very important question: “What next?”
One thing is certain—we are all tasked to share with others the news of our encounter with Christ. We will be asked to witness to the answer we have found in His love. The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage has been called “this country’s Emmaus moment.” This moment describes the story in which the Lord joined two disciples on their way to a town called Emmaus. He set their hearts aflame with His description of the Scriptures and He answered their prayer to stay with him by means of the Eucharist. Filled with fire and having known Him in the Eucharist, these disciples were so excited that they made sure to tell someone about what they had encountered that very night. We can expect the same mission. Our job will be to tell someone about the One we have encountered, about the One who has walked with us, who accompanies us right to the heart of our country, our state and our situation. He will speak into that heart and remind us of who we are and how much we are loved and trusted with His work to seek out and save what was lost.
In what could be called the “parable of the prodigal father,” we are reminded that the son was lost and was found, was dead and has been brought back to life again. (Lk 15) We must tell all of the great mercy we have come to know in the heart of Christ and that we have been found, are set free, are alive and are loved by the King. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Mt. 28:18-20) Behold, the bridegroom is coming, let’s go out to meet Him!
Story by Father Justin Kizewski, Director of Intellectual Formation at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee and Director of Spiritual Formation: Diocesan Program for Permanent Deacons
Published in the May/June 2024 issue of Catholic Life Magazine