You Don’t Need the Lost Ark of the Covenant to Have a Transmitter to God
What Catholics believe about having personal access to God. Non-Catholics: Take the Poll!
This past Tuesday morning, as is my weekly practice, I attended the 6:45 a.m. Mass at my parish. Immediately following this Mass, the parish has Eucharistic Adoration, so I usually stay until I have to leave, at around 8 a.m. Adoration begins with “Exposition” when the priest places a consecrated Host inside of a monstrance which is then set upon the altar. Prayers are sung (in Latin in my parish) and the monstrance remains on the altar until 9 p.m., when they perform the “Benediction” prayers and return the Host to the tabernacle at the back of the sanctuary. At least one adorer remains in the church all during this time.
On this particular Tuesday, Adoration was delayed until noon due to “Vacation Bible Camp,” a half-day summer program for the parish kids, who would be all over the church doing “vacation bible” activities. I wanted to get in my time for adoration, so I made my way to the church’s Adoration Chapel. Our good pastor has recently revamped this chapel and made it a beautiful, peaceful place to come before our Lord. I stepped into the chapel, a room off to the side of the church.
Windows, rather than walls, separate it from the church proper, so the ceiling lights outside in the main church are enough to illuminate the room. You can turn on overhead lights in there, if desired, but I kind of prefer to sit in the darkness. The chapel now features a cabinet set into the wall over and top of a miniature altar. (This altar, by the way, was saved years ago by a thoughtful parishioner when the church was undergoing modernization renovations. This family kept it in their garage all these years. God bless them!) Behind this on the wall is a beautiful mural depicting a scene in Heaven.
Two rows of chairs, with kneelers attached to their backs, are arranged on the left and right sides of the little room to face the altar, making a narrow aisle way in which to traverse. Using this passage, I dared to advance towards the altar and, after pausing to genuflect, I opened the cabinet doors. Recessed lights within the cabinet instantly flicked on.
My mind wanders off. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is one of my all-time favorite movies. Indiana Jones’s chief nemesis is the French archeologist, Belloq. When Belloq explains his motive for finding the Ark, he states, “…do you realize what the Ark is? It's a transmitter. It's a radio for speaking to God. And it's within my reach.” Indiana Jones replies, “You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together. I've got nothing better to do.”
Belloq wants personal access to God, and he believes that the Ark is a unique avenue in which to get that access. Jones’ reply is more of a threat, spawned by a drunken despair from his belief that Marion, his love interest, had just been killed in an explosion. I would love to sweep in right there to let them both in on something special. “Fellas wait!” I would say. “Belloq, you don’t need to find the Ark in order to talk to God directly! Indy, Marion is fine, and you don’t need to die in order meet God in person! Follow me to the nearest Catholic church!”
Now this would have quite ruined the movie’s pace, drama, and story, but of course it’s all quite true.
Back in the real world in the Adoration Chapel, the monstrance and the Host within blazed forth at me from inside the cabinet. Through Christ’s loving and merciful gift, I was able to gaze upon God Himself without dying. I could enter the inner sanctum and see the glory of God, seen in this humble form. I could have a close-up, in-person audience with God, and not find my body bursting with explosive energy, or melting, or being burnt alive like Belloq and the Nazis at the end of “Raiders.” What a gift.
And all I have to do is quiet my mind and listen. I can’t tell you how much this has changed my life for the better.
For your edification, the following passage from the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” explains that “the body and soul, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ” is indeed contained in the Eucharist. If you are not ready to believe that right now, at least try to imagine what the implications would be for your life and the world, if this indeed were true.
All that said, I’m curious as to what non-Catholics think about what Catholics believe about the Eucharist. Below is my poll. I appreciate your feedback on that and any comments you may wish to leave below.
