Denver Catholic

19 DENVER CATHOLIC | DECEMBER 12-25, 2015 What the desecration of the Eucharist in Spain teaches me about God's mercy S o, in other news, a sacrilegious art exhibit featuring more than 240 con- secrated hosts of the Holy Eucharist was per- formed and put on display in Pamplona, Spain. The artist used the hosts in a per- formance piece by spelling out words like "Amen" and "ped- erasty" on the ground; photos of the piece were later presented on the walls in Pam- plona City Hall's exhibition hall. The world barely heard about it, of course. But the fact that Pamplona's sacrilegious art exhibit didn't get much coverage isn't what bothers me. Do you know what does? It's not the fact that the artist stole the hosts while pretending to receive the Eucharist. It's not the fact that the desecrated hosts were left behind on the ground once the piece was over, as if they were little more than scraps of stone left over from a sculpture. It's not even the fact that the Pamplona City Council endorsed the exhibit. All of that makes my hackles rise, you can be sure. But when I hear stories about the Eucharist being desecrated, the one thing that troubles me the most is this: Why does God allow himself to be abused like this? Why would the King of the Universe permit someone to profane his holy body? Why does he let someone in Spain who has no sense of reverence mistreat him in such a mockery of "art"? In refl ecting on this, I can't help but call to mind the story of King Belshazzar and Daniel. When Belshazzar had the stolen vessels from the temple brought in to use as extra dishes and cups for his own personal soiree, God stretched out his hand and wrote out his judgment and punishment against the king on the wall (Daniel 5:1-28). Part of me wishes God would come down and write his judgment on the wall of Pamplona's city hall. I want him to defend himself — to show his true glory to those who insult him — to send an almighty thunderbolt of divine justice onto the people who dare call this exhibit "art." But God won't. Why wouldn't he, though? Why won't God strike down people who are so obvi- ously against him? The answer can be found in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus is sitting and eating with tax collectors and sinners. When the Pharisees criticize him, Jesus comes back with this: "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifi ce.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners" (Matthew 9:13). The great mystery of God's mercy is tied irrevocably to his humility. It goes back to man's fall in Eden: When we broke his trust, we ourselves were broken. In the fall, we su ered our sepa- ration from God. The story throughout the Scriptures is God's relentless pursuit to bring us back to him. Every covenant sealed, every sign worked, every prophet sent, and every chance extended, all the way up to his Son's ultimate sacrifi ce upon the cross: All of it was so that we could once again be with God. He desires most of all for us to love him freely — to come to him with our entire being — to go running to him to satisfy the longing written in our hearts. When in mortal sin, the stench of my soul is just as o ensive as the art exhibit in Pamplona. And yet, the Lord steps down into my stench to o er me the chance to be made clean. He treats me with incomprehensible mercy. That's what Jesus is saying in Matthew 9:13. God wants nothing more than for us to be reconciled to him. Today, he o ers himself to us in the form of bread and wine as an absolute, no-take-backs gift of himself. He allows us to do to him what we will — even if it means his holy body is desecrated. If this art exhibit is a symptom of a world that has grown out of touch with the sacred, it's a personal lesson for me that God's love truly is boundless and his mercy is truly divine. It's also a sign to me that, in the face of desecration, we must do what we can to reclaim the sacred: in adoration, in praying through Scripture, in serving those in need in mercy — and in praying for those who participate in desecration, for their conversion of heart. God won't write in judgment on the wall this time. But we can share the truth of his mercy in the way we live our lives. In the face of such sacrilege, that is how we can honor him best. Christina is a native Coloradan who writes to explore inner realities of the faith. She currently works for FOCUS. Guest Column CHRISTINA GAINES St. Sharbel visits Denver as Year of Mercy begins A s Pope Francis opened the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy this week, which he hopes will be "a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more e ective," St. Ra¸ a's Maronite Catholic Church in Lakewood brought to Denver one such example. The bone relics of Lebanon's St. Sharbel Makhlouf, a Maronite Catholic priest, monk, and hermit, are on display at St. Ra¸ a's from Dec. 8 through Dec. 10, the fi rst few days of the Year of Mercy. If you don't know who St. Sharbel is, you are not alone. The monk lived in complete obscurity, spending the last 23 years of his life as a hermit. If you do know who he is, it's probably because you heard about the bright light that emanated from his grave for 45 con- secutive nights after his death in 1898. His body was found to be in an incorrupt state, and a sweet smelling liquid, which appeared to be a mix of blood and sweat, exuded from his body. However, Father Sharbel became a saint through a long life of dedicated prayer, manual work, rigorous asceticism, contemplative silence, and a great devo- tion to the Eucharist. It is said that he spent two hours preparing for the Divine Liturgy (the Eastern-rite term for Mass), and another two hours post-Divine Lit- urgy were spent in giving thanks. Born in 1828 in the mountains of northern Lebanon, Yussef Antoun Makh- louf began to pray as a young child while he cared for the family cow in the fi elds and pastures near his village. At 23, Yussef left home to become "Brother Sharbel," taking the name of a second-century martyr at Antioch. After two years, he took his monastic vows, and was eventually ordained a priest. Some 19 years later, the priest-monk was granted permission to live in solitude in a nearby hermitage dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul. On Dec. 16, 1898, at the age of 70, Father Sharbel su ered a stroke while celebrat- ing the Divine Liturgy of the Maronite Catholic Church, an Eastern-rite Church in union with Rome. He spent the Christ- mas novena in agony, until his death on Christmas Eve. Pope Paul VI presided at the beatifi - cation of Father Sharbel just prior to the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, on Dec. 5, 1965, and he expressed the hope that the example of the "hermit of Mount Lebanon" would help the Christian people "understand, in a world largely fascinated by wealth and comfort, the paramount value of poverty, penance and asceticism, to liberate the soul in its ascent to God." What greater example could there be at this time of year—characterized more and more by frenzied shopping and endless "to do" lists—than this saint of prayer, silence and devotion to the Eucharist? But there is even more to this story, as the visit of the relics of St. Sharbel to Denver also serves as a grim reminder of the dire situation currently facing the monk's native Lebanon. Living in the midst of relative peace and exceptional comfort, it's easy to forget the needs of those living half a world away. According to Father Andre Mahanna, pastor of St. Ra¸ a's, there are currently over two million refugees in Lebanon who have escaped the violence of ISIS, and they are "seriously taxing all systems in this small country." In October, Father Mahanna launched St. Ra¸ a Mission of Hope and Mercy as a response to some very basic and urgent needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, such as blankets, food, and clean clothes. The mission has a team on the ground in Lebanon serving the needs of refugees, and they are contacted almost on a daily basis for assistance. In addition to the basics, there are medical costs. According to Father Andre, the mission owes $35,000 in hospital bills since May. That money, however, has paid for cancer surgeries, and treatment for serious chronic diseases. A little goes a long way. Speaking of which, while the above examples of Christian witness in prayer and works of mercy are extraordinary, sometimes the most e ective witness is the little one we give in ordinary circumstances. In any case, no matter who you are or what your situation, let us all attempt during this Year of Mercy to fi nd a way to make our witness of faith "stronger and more e ective." And I bet a quick prayer to St. Sharbel for some help wouldn't go unanswered. St. Ra¸ a Mission of Hope and Mercy will hold a Christmas Dinner and Concert on Dec. 18 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Centennial. Proceeds will fund the needs of refugees this Christmas. Karna Swanson is the general manager of Denver Catholic, www.DenverCatholic.org. Manager's Column KARNA SWANSON MISSION OF HOPE AND MERCY For more information, visit http:// www.savechristianmiddleeast.org.

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