Being Catholic can be quite a workout. It sure is this week at the National Eucharistic Congress anyway. We’ve seen a lot of Indianapolis on foot, from the War Memorial to Holy Rosary Church and many roads in between. Thursday was the big one for me with over 16,000 steps (my dogs were barking).
But even in the way we show our faith under normal circumstances, we Catholics are physically demonstrative. We stand, we genuflect, we make the sign of the cross, we beat our breasts during the penitential rite, we kneel, and we process, among other outward acts. As Father Hau Vu, our diocesan Vocations Director, says, “it’s the exterior manifestation or the interior reality. We are Sacramental people.”
This week we are focused on our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and we are being given so many opportunities to Adore him in the Blessed Sacrament. The evening Revival Sessions have all concluded with emotional and uplifting periods of Adoration, an Adoration Chapel is located across the street from the Convention Center, and the Lord has been brought through the halls of the Convention Center during our daytime sessions. This has meant a lot of kneeling for us – on sidewalks, in hallways, on stadium floors. You can buy foam kneeling pads in the exhibit hall for $6, and a shout out to Relevant Radio for giving them away at their booth. I, of course, took advantage of neither. Kneeling is our expression of humility, of reverence, of repentance. We can say with words “I can do nothing without God,” or we can kneel before his beloved Son in the Eucharist. Which says it better? Perhaps the physical gesture.
Today’s big event was the Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Indianapolis. These processions have been a big part of the Eucharistic Revival over the past three years. I couldn’t help but remember our first diocesan Eucharistic Procession through the rain-soaked streets of San Bernardino two years ago. It was when the Revival really began to take hold in our diocese. Well, today may have been the mother of all processions. The streets were lined with thousands of Catholics waiting with joy for the Lord to move through our midst. Chants of “Viva Cristo Rey” and “We love Jesus, yes we do” reverberated off the buildings. After the procession moved past us on Meridian Street members of our diocesan delegation joined in and we were part of a sea of exultant believers. This sends a powerful message to bystanders who are not Catholic. It says we are devoted to the person of Jesus, and we are unafraid to proclaim it. It’s been said many times this week that this kind of powerful witness is exactly what the world needs right now.
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” (Romans 14:11)
John Andrews is the Vice Chancellor of the Diocese of San Bernardino.