Technology's Red Line

Understanding the role of the body in the liturgy

04/29/2020

1 Cor. 7:32, 34 Brothers and sisters, an unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord’s affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord. In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit.

My older brother works in information technology and we’ve had lots of talks lately about the benefits of technology during this pandemic. Being my older brother, he not only asks me hard questions, he also loves to push my buttons. He’s a little like that annoying toddler who keeps asking, “Why?” because he knows how much that really irritates me. At one point in our conversation recently, I had to put my priestly foot down and insist that there’s a bright red line that technology cannot cross when it comes to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. That is, technology can support the celebration of the sacraments (like live-streamed Masses, and this Evening Prayer), but it cannot completely substitute for them. That would be the point where my brother would chime in with “Why?” I was tempted to reply angrily: “Because I said so!” But I didn’t do that, because after all, he’s my older brother and could also beat me up.

I tried to explain the reasoning behind that red line in a couple of different ways. For instance, I said that all human beings are composite beings of body and soul. We need the body for all we do, especially the sacraments, like confession. The priest’s body has to be near the penitent’s body; no forgiveness by phone call. My brother just yawned at that. Then, I tried another tack saying that Jesus’ Incarnation means he’s truly God but also truly man, with a human body. Jesus’ crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension all happened to his body until it was glorified. Similarly, Jesus wants to save not only our souls but also our bodies, until they are glorified. At this point, my brother was almost asleep.

That’s when I decided to hit below the belt, (quite literally). I said: “Well, just like technology cannot take your place when you consummate your marriage with your wife, so technology cannot replace our Communion with Christ. Both instances intimately involve the human body.” He suddenly woke up and exclaimed, “I finally get it!” In other words, there are certain human activities that can only be performed by both body and soul, and no amount of technology, no matter how much it advances, will ever replace it. Sacramentally-speaking, a “consummation” is precisely what happens at the Mass when we receive Holy Communion: Jesus’ Body in the Sacred Host becomes one with our bodies. The two become one. As Hamlet said, “Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished!”

1 Corinthians 7 is an optional reading for Evening Prayer for the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena. St. Paul instructs the Corinthians about the value of celibacy in our relationship with the Lord. He compares and contrasts celibacy to marriage, writing: “The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord,” and he says something similar about the unmarried woman. The celibate woman wants to please the Lord. Now, don’t misunderstand Paul’s point. Paul is not saying that marriage is bad and celibacy is good. If you think that, just read Ephesians 5:32. Why? Well, in both Ephesians 5 and 1 Corinthians 7, Paul insists that marriage provides the perfect framework, context and analogy, to help us see our relationship with Jesus is ultimately a marital one, which was precisely my point to my brother. My brother would agree we should keep technology out of the bedroom, and I would add also out of the sanctuary. Technology can support the work of the liturgy but it cannot replace it.

This brief comparison between marriage and the Mass not only reinforces the limits of technology (technology’s red line), but it also reveals a litmus test of our faith. How so? Well, how much do we long for the Eucharist? Do we desire to become one body with our Lord in Holy Communion as much as spouses long to make love, where the two become one flesh? The answer may not be as obvious as you think. For some Catholics this sabbatical from the sacraments has been a long Lent, a painful purgatory. Those Catholics cannot wait to get back to Mass and consummate their love for Christ.

But I fear that other Catholics may have gotten quite comfortable on their couch, watching Mass on television, dressed in pajamas, sipping on their Caramel Macchiato Frappuccino Baldochino. When we compare the Mass to marriage, when we see the deep link between Communion and consummation, when we make the connection between making love and making liturgy, we begin to see not only how wrong-headed, but ultimately also how sinful, is the attitude to miss Sunday Mass.

I cannot wait to have another deep conversation with my older brother especially over technology. It will probably be painful, but it will probably also teach me a lot. Maybe that’s a good way to look at this pandemic as well: it is painful but also pedagogical; it is teaching us a lot. This pandemic has highlighted technology’s bright red line in our sacramental life, and taught us how much Jesus, the Bridegroom loves us, and how much we, his Bride, have to go to love him in return.

Praised be Jesus Christ!