Highlight of My Highlight

Seeing how the Eucharist is at the center of everything

04/17/2025

Jn 13:1-15 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’  and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

The highlight of my life as a priest is celebrating the Mass every week for you. That is why I work hard to prepare a decent homily so you don't doze off during Mass. One day before Mass I showed my hand-written homily to an altar server. He was surprised and said, “You write those? I thought you just got those out of a book!” I guess I do get them from a book, the book called the Bible.

In fact, the way I judge how good or effective a Mass is when people leave church thinking: “I would like to come back here next Sunday.” In a small way, that feeling means the Mass is not only the highlight of my life, but also the highlight of your week. That is why the Catechism says beautifully: “The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life” (no. 1324). At Mass we should feel like saying, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

All four Scripture readings today highlight how the Eucharist is really the highlight of the whole Bible. The first reading from Exodus recalls the roots of Mass as the Passover meal of the Jews being freed from Egyptian slavery. The Responsorial Psalm 116 speaks of raising the cup of salvation in thanksgiving for God’s countless blessings. We come to Mass to say "Thank you!"

St. Paul teaches in First Corinthians that we truly eat the Lord’s Body and drink his Blood in Holy Communion. And in John’s gospel, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet because the Eucharistic banquet strengthens us for service of our neighbor. When we study the Bible carefully, we discover that the Eucharist is highlighted through the whole Bible. Every page rustles with eucharistic overtones.

But the highlight of my highlight – my favorite part of the whole Mass – is distributing Holy Communion to you, the holy people of God. At Communion, some Catholics prefer to receive Jesus on the hand, others wish to receive him on the tongue, and still others desire to kneel before the King of kings. Each person comes hungry for the Lord’s love, perceiving their own poverty and receiving his overwhelming plentitude.

But besides all these wonderful people, the people who really move my heart are those who cross their arms over their chests at Communion because although they desperately want to receive the Lord, they know they cannot. Maybe some need to go to confession first, or need to get an annulment, or are not Catholic. In their mind, they may feel like they are second-class Christians but in my eyes they are spiritual rock-stars. Why?

Well, because they come to Mass mainly to give something, not primarily to receive something. And therefore their unselfish love – because they don’t get Communion – is more divine because that is how Jesus loves us. What do I mean? Well, he pours out all his love for us, but he usually only receives a pittance of our love in return.

In other words, the Eucharist should be the highlight of the week not only for those who can receive Holy Communion, but in a very special way for those who cannot. Those who do not receive Communion imitate the love of Jesus in a very poignant, personal, and painful way. They give but do not get, just like our Lord does with us.

Does it come as any surprise, therefore, that Jesus would institute the two great sacraments of the Eucharist and Priesthood together on Holy Thursday? That is, the Eucharist and the priesthood are inextricably linked. They depend on each other and are made for each other. The ministerial priesthood (like mine) exists for the sake of making the Eucharist. The Eucharist is what priests are ordained for.

And at the Eucharistic celebration, lay persons (both those who do and don't receive Communion) exercise the common priesthood of the faithful by offering an acceptable sacrifice to the Father. At every Eucharist, ministerial priests (like me) and common priests (like all of ya’ll) offer perfect praise to the Father, in the Son, and through the Holy Spirit. And that is why the Eucharist is the highlight of my life, and should be the highlight of your life, too.

Praised be Jesus Christ!