| Becoming a Monstrance for the World |
The Church throughout history has held up to us, the faithful, holy men and women
for us to imitate. The Church has given us the saints as examples to model our lives
after. This is an excellent practice and we should honor those who have lived their
lives for Christ.
In this meditation I propose that just once we look at an inanimate object for our
example and our imitation. I am not suggesting we become a candle or a kneeler
although I’m certain I could fine a meditation for them also. I am merely suggesting
we look through a different lens at an object in many of our lives. Unfortunately if
you have never been to Eucharistic Adoration you may not recognize a monstrance.
A monstrance is a beautiful container in which Our Eucharistic Lord may be placed
for adoration. It is usually made of a precious metal such as gold and glass. The
design is most commonly that which I would describe as a flower. A long stem
reaches from the base to a sunburst type display with a glass center. In the glass
center the priest places the Most Blessed Sacrament, the consecrated host, Jesus.
How you may ask, can anyone imitate this beautiful piece of functional art? The
answer is rather simple. Like the monstrance our entire purpose and goal in life is to
show Christ to others. We like the monstrance, were created to hold God within
us. As St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you O’ God.”
By imitating the monstrance and realizing our true purpose and design and fulfilling it
completely the world and we are blessed. Imagine if a monstrance followed its own
will and not Gods. It could say, “I hate the way I look. I’m going to rid myself of this
glass and change myself into a solid gold bar. I’m tired of being here alone while all
my friends are in Fort Knox. I want to be free. I want to go to Fort Knox!” The
monstrance would not be fulfilling its purpose and it would be locked away with all its
friends who aren’t what they should be either. How often do we change ourselves
into something God has not designed us for? We were created in His image and
likeness but we try to remake ourselves in the image and likeness of the world. We
claim that only then can we be free only to find that we have locked ourselves away
in our own personal hell.
We can also imitate the monstrance by putting Christ at the center of our very
being. When a person looks at the monstrance their eyes are naturally drawn to
that which is in the center, namely Christ. When people look at us are they naturally
drawn to what is the center of our lives? Is it Christ? What do people see at the
center of our lives? Is it money, lust, things or power? Or worse, is it ourselves and
our ego? To imitate the monstrance means to give Jesus his proper place in our
lives, the center. People will notice our true beauty because we are only truly
beautiful when Christ is in us. What could be more ugly than an empty Christ-less
monstrance?
In the monstrance we see God, the creator of the universe, humble Himself and
allow Himself to be held by His creation. At the mass the priest acts as a
monstrance. Again God allows His creation to hold the Creator. If you could hold
the creator of the universe how would you prepare for the event? I believe we
would all cleanse ourselves thoroughly. Why then do so many Catholics not cleanse
themselves in confession before holding the Creator in their hands and then taking
Him into their flesh? A monstrance has no sin but it does collect dust and
sometimes tarnishes and needs cleaned. This insures that Christ can be seen
without any obstruction or dirt. In order to imitate the monstrance we need frequent
confession.
Now I must offer to you the most perfect example of a living monstrance. Mary,
the Virgin Mother of God. She became a monstrance the same way we do by
saying yes to God. She literally carried Christ within her and everyone noticed.
John leaped and Elizabeth sang. It is amazing how people around you will change
and be blessed when you too chose to be a living monstrance.
During the presentation Mary gave the “Bread of Life” to the priest Simeon.
Simeon lifted up “the Bread” and blessed God. He then placed Christ back in the
waiting arms of the perfect monstrance, His Mother. When we fully participate in
the Mass the same thing happens to us. We give the priest ordinary bread and he
gives us back Living Bread that came down from heaven. If we have not cleansed
ourselves we simply become a dirty monstrance obstructing Christ in us from others.
Finally we must imitate the monstrance and Mary when no one is looking. We
must continue to be a monstrance before, during, and after our daily crucifixion.
After Jesus was taken down off the cross He was placed in his Mother’s arms once
more. She held the lifeless body of Jesus for all to see. But she knew in her heart
that God had greater plans than what the world could see. We must imitate the
monstrance and display Christ to a world that sees bread. We must imitate Mary
and hold Christ out to a world that only sees death.
Mary and the monstrance are two great examples of how to make Christ the
center of our lives. Please polish up the gold and glass that is your monstrance so
that others may see Christ and make Him the center of their
lives.
- James M. Hahn June 29, 2002 2am
for us to imitate. The Church has given us the saints as examples to model our lives
after. This is an excellent practice and we should honor those who have lived their
lives for Christ.
In this meditation I propose that just once we look at an inanimate object for our
example and our imitation. I am not suggesting we become a candle or a kneeler
although I’m certain I could fine a meditation for them also. I am merely suggesting
we look through a different lens at an object in many of our lives. Unfortunately if
you have never been to Eucharistic Adoration you may not recognize a monstrance.
A monstrance is a beautiful container in which Our Eucharistic Lord may be placed
for adoration. It is usually made of a precious metal such as gold and glass. The
design is most commonly that which I would describe as a flower. A long stem
reaches from the base to a sunburst type display with a glass center. In the glass
center the priest places the Most Blessed Sacrament, the consecrated host, Jesus.
How you may ask, can anyone imitate this beautiful piece of functional art? The
answer is rather simple. Like the monstrance our entire purpose and goal in life is to
show Christ to others. We like the monstrance, were created to hold God within
us. As St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you O’ God.”
By imitating the monstrance and realizing our true purpose and design and fulfilling it
completely the world and we are blessed. Imagine if a monstrance followed its own
will and not Gods. It could say, “I hate the way I look. I’m going to rid myself of this
glass and change myself into a solid gold bar. I’m tired of being here alone while all
my friends are in Fort Knox. I want to be free. I want to go to Fort Knox!” The
monstrance would not be fulfilling its purpose and it would be locked away with all its
friends who aren’t what they should be either. How often do we change ourselves
into something God has not designed us for? We were created in His image and
likeness but we try to remake ourselves in the image and likeness of the world. We
claim that only then can we be free only to find that we have locked ourselves away
in our own personal hell.
We can also imitate the monstrance by putting Christ at the center of our very
being. When a person looks at the monstrance their eyes are naturally drawn to
that which is in the center, namely Christ. When people look at us are they naturally
drawn to what is the center of our lives? Is it Christ? What do people see at the
center of our lives? Is it money, lust, things or power? Or worse, is it ourselves and
our ego? To imitate the monstrance means to give Jesus his proper place in our
lives, the center. People will notice our true beauty because we are only truly
beautiful when Christ is in us. What could be more ugly than an empty Christ-less
monstrance?
In the monstrance we see God, the creator of the universe, humble Himself and
allow Himself to be held by His creation. At the mass the priest acts as a
monstrance. Again God allows His creation to hold the Creator. If you could hold
the creator of the universe how would you prepare for the event? I believe we
would all cleanse ourselves thoroughly. Why then do so many Catholics not cleanse
themselves in confession before holding the Creator in their hands and then taking
Him into their flesh? A monstrance has no sin but it does collect dust and
sometimes tarnishes and needs cleaned. This insures that Christ can be seen
without any obstruction or dirt. In order to imitate the monstrance we need frequent
confession.
Now I must offer to you the most perfect example of a living monstrance. Mary,
the Virgin Mother of God. She became a monstrance the same way we do by
saying yes to God. She literally carried Christ within her and everyone noticed.
John leaped and Elizabeth sang. It is amazing how people around you will change
and be blessed when you too chose to be a living monstrance.
During the presentation Mary gave the “Bread of Life” to the priest Simeon.
Simeon lifted up “the Bread” and blessed God. He then placed Christ back in the
waiting arms of the perfect monstrance, His Mother. When we fully participate in
the Mass the same thing happens to us. We give the priest ordinary bread and he
gives us back Living Bread that came down from heaven. If we have not cleansed
ourselves we simply become a dirty monstrance obstructing Christ in us from others.
Finally we must imitate the monstrance and Mary when no one is looking. We
must continue to be a monstrance before, during, and after our daily crucifixion.
After Jesus was taken down off the cross He was placed in his Mother’s arms once
more. She held the lifeless body of Jesus for all to see. But she knew in her heart
that God had greater plans than what the world could see. We must imitate the
monstrance and display Christ to a world that sees bread. We must imitate Mary
and hold Christ out to a world that only sees death.
Mary and the monstrance are two great examples of how to make Christ the
center of our lives. Please polish up the gold and glass that is your monstrance so
that others may see Christ and make Him the center of their
lives.
- James M. Hahn June 29, 2002 2am