Saying YES

As we process to the altar to receive the consecrated host at Communion time, the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion holds the host before us and says, ‘The Body of Christ.’ We respond by saying audibly, ‘Amen.’ In this way we are making a profession of faith. We are saying YES. St Augustine explains:

‘If, therefore, you are the Body of Christ and its members, it is your sacrament that reposes on the altar of the Lord. It is your sacrament that you receive. It is to what you are that you respond “Amen”. This response is your signature. You hear “Body of Christ.” You respond “Amen!” Be a member of the Body of Christ so that your “Amen” may be true.’

Sometimes, when I say ‘The Body of Christ’ to someone who comes to receive communion, there is silence. They do not, for some reason, make any expression of faith. It is important that we respond by saying ‘Amen’ to what we are about to receive. It is our affirmation that we believe that what we receive is really and truly the Body and Blood of Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine.

In the Gospel for this Sunday, not all of those who were following Christ (the disciples) accepted what he was teaching them; that his body was real food and his blood was real drink. This saying is too hard; who can accept it? (John 6:60) Many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus gave the Twelve the choice: Do you also want to leave? Peter spoke for them all: You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.

Just as, in the first reading, we see Joshua challenging the people to declare where they stand — so we declare, by our ‘Amen’, where we stand. By saying ‘Amen’ to the one who is the Bread of Life, we also commit ourselves to being, and living, the Body of Christ in the world; to being bread for others within the church and beyond it.

In the concluding Rite of the Mass, we acknowledge that God has blessed us with the Holy Gift we have celebrated, and we accept our responsibility to take it with us and live it out — Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord — or — Go in peace glorifying the Lord with your life.

Cardinal Bernadine wrote:

‘The dismissal of the assembly is like the breaking of the bread. We have become “the bread of life” and “the cup of blessing” for the world. Now we are scattered, broken, poured out to be life for the world. What happens at home, in the world, at meals? What do we make of our time, our words, our deeds, our resources of all kinds? That is what matters.’