Last week, I raised a point that the Church fears no “extravagance” with regard to the celebration of the Eucharist. However, the word itself is problematic. It suggests of “wastage” which is nothing but scandalous especially in the midst of hunger. However, extravagance is definitely relevant to Judas’ concern for the poor. A calculative mentality with regard to God will lead to a calculative mentality with humanity. Loving God with a measure beyond this world allows or opens our heart to embrace the poor with the same generous measure. Furthermore, the idea of “extravagance” is not alien to Pentecost. We are used to thinking of Pentecost as the descent of the Holy Spirit. But the descent of the Holy Spirit actually marks an ascent into the life of the Trinity as it drew the Apostles and consequently the Church into the life and vision of God.This Sunday, our attention is directed to Mary. JPII believes that when we ponder the mystery of the Eucharist, we are led to take a closer look at Mary. But, according to our Liturgical Calendar, this Sunday is also Trinity Sunday. Hence, how are we to speak of Mary in the context of the Solemnity of Blessed Trinity?
The answer is found in Mary’s “Fiat”, Mary’s “Yes”. When Mary said “Yes” at the Annunciation, her “Yes” at once links her to the Eucharist and the Trinity. How is that so?
Firstly, with regard to the Eucharist, the Gospel may be silent on the subject of Mary’s presence at the Last Supper. However, as she was present with the Apostles in prayer, as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit, we can be certain that she would also be present at the celebration of the Eucharist of the first generation of Christians (Acts 2:42). But surprisingly, Mary is linked to the Eucharist not because she was present in those celebrations. Instead, Mary is linked to the Eucharist because her interior disposition allowed her to abandon herself to the mystery of the Eucharist. As a mystery, the Eucharist calls for faith and Mary, in giving herself over totally to God at the Annunciation, made an act of faith. That act of faith earned her the title “Woman of the Eucharist” because she was already living the spirit of the Eucharist even before its Institution at the Last Supper.28 As Woman of the Eucharist, Mary is never far from the actions of Christ. Mary’s “do whatever He tells you” at Cana becomes Christ’s “Do this in memory of me” at the Last Supper. She who leads us to the Son will also lead us to the Blessed Sacrament, the true Body and Blood of her Son.
Secondly, you can also discern that Mary’s Fiat at the Annunciation is at the same time, a “yes” of total abandonment to the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. In saying yes, she believed that Christ whom she conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit was the Son of God the Father. Consequently, there is a profound link between the Fiat of Mary at the Annunciation and the Amen of each Catholic who receives Holy Communion. Mary’s “Yes” brought her into the life of the Trinity. Our “Amen” also draws us into the life of the Trinity.
In trying to live the mystery of the Eucharist, Mary is our Mother as well as our Model. Christ on the Cross at Calvary allowed the future and the past to be brought into the present. Therefore, whatever Christ did would, through the Eucharist, become present to us. He gave John to Mary and so through the Eucharist, we gain a Mother. He gave Mary to John and so in the Eucharist, Mary becomes our model.29 In that way, you can say that Mary always accompanies us in the “Amen” we make at Holy Communion. Mary is ever present in our commitment to be conformed into the image of Christ.
Finally, JPII asks us to look at the Magnificat as it mirrors the praise and thanksgiving of the Eucharist. With Mary, we praise God in the Eucharist through Christ our Saviour, even as we hope for and anticipate “the new heavens” and “the new earth” at the 2nd Coming. But, our desire for a better world is not to be found in programmes. Instead, our vision of a better world begins with the Person of Christ. We are made perfect in knowing, loving and imitating Christ. As Mary leads us to Christ, she will also lead us to find Him in the Eucharist. JPII says: “In the Eucharist, we have Jesus, we have his redemptive sacrifice, we have his resurrection, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we have adoration, obedience and love of the Father”—the Blessed Trinity.
Our eyes are tuned today to Mary our Mother and Model as we endeavour to embrace fully the mystery of the Eucharist and enter the life of the Trinity whom we love and celebrate. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
