The Real Presence
When you walk into a Catholic church a certain feeling comes over you. You automatically switch over to “church-mode” or what we might better refer to as a state of reverence. This causes you to speak quietly, if at all, as well as affecting your movements and your attitude. The way you walk, the way you talk, the way you carry yourself are all effected. What is the cause of this? Is it the beauty and majesty of the building that leaves us in awe? Is it our respect for those who are trying to pray? I would say that there is a greater explanation.
As Catholics we believe in what we call the real presence, meaning that Jesus Christ is truly present in the consecrated bread and wine. It is the presence of Christ that merits the aforementioned reverence inside Catholic churches. But why do we act this way? What has come over us?
On Holy Ground
There are many examples of reverence to God in scripture, but my favorite example is that of Moses and the burning bush.
When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called out to him from the bush: Moses! Moses! He answered, “Here I am.” God said: Do not come near! Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ~ Exodus 3:1-5
It was the presence of God that made that place holy, just as it is the presence of Christ in the tabernacle of every Catholic church that makes it holy. After Moses receives the ten commandments from God, he also receives directions on how to build the ark of the covenant, how to dress the priests, how to construct the tabernacle, etc.
Temple versus Synagogue
For the ancient Jews there was a big difference between the Temple and the synagogue. What is the difference? The synagogue was more of a gathering place for the Jews to read and discuss their sacred scriptures. The Temple on the other hand was of far greater significance. The Temple was the dwelling place of the Lord. Inside the holy of holies the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob was present. This is not to say that God can be contained by man, for it was God who gave the instructions for how to build the tabernacle and the Temple. It was God’s way of being with His people. The Temple was also a place of sacrifice where the priests would offer the sacrifices of the people on the altar. This was the only place where these sacrifices could be offered.
Fast forward a few thousand years and here we are. You walk into a Catholic church and what do you see? An altar, a tabernacle, priests. You see ornate decor and beautiful art. A Catholic church is a temple, a dwelling place of the Lord. Just as Moses took off his shoes as he approached the burning bush, so we too enter the Lord’s house with reverence, not just externally, but reverent at heart as well.
It is my hope that with a better understanding of reverence and of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist that the next time you enter a Catholic church you might take a few moments to realize where you are and acknowledge that “the place on which you stand is holy ground.”