By Father Jacob Dankasa
Special to The Texas Catholic

The Eucharist has been a subject of discussion for the past several weeks – from the National Eucharistic Congress that took place in Indiana with over 50,000 faithful in attendance, to the depiction of what appears to be a mimicking of the last supper at the Paris Olympics, to the Church’s focus on the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 6, which explains Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist, for five consecutive Sunday liturgies. This is very significant for us Christians, especially for Catholics, who believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

When the eucharistic congress was organized, I doubt whether anyone knew that the Olympics “Last Supper controversy” would occur shortly after, although some must have realized that we would simultaneously be reflecting on the sixth chapter of St. John in our Masses, explaining Jesus as the food that comes down from heaven. But the reality is that we are caught up in this web of controversy and lack of sensitivity. Regardless of the intent of the Olympic organizers that showcased what we Christians perceived as an insensitive portrayal of our most cherished Last Supper scene — whether it was intended or not — I believe the response of Christians on this depiction clearly shows that Christianity has been taken for granted for a while, and many do not show the same sensitivity to what pertains to the Christian faith as they do to other faiths. It’s a wake-up call to the world to know that we Christians cherish and love our faith in the fullest terms, and there is a real need to critically assess actions and weigh their consequences before they are carried out. The Paris Olympics organizers should have considered the impact of such a depiction before embarking on it on the world stage. Perhaps, because Christianity strives to be always peaceful, it was assumed that it would be fine to go ahead and there would be no consequences. Christianity deserves more respect than that.

Coincidentally, in my last article here, I reflected on “Embracing the Uncomfortable Aspects of Living our Faith.” I had no idea that the Olympic controversy would occur. But in that article, I explained that “The Christian faith by its nature puts some demands on those of us who profess it. To live that faith adequately, we must be ready to accept or reject certain things that may appear to be normal to those who do not share our core values and beliefs. This is where faith becomes uncomfortable and, in fact, it has to be uncomfortable for it to be a genuine faith when it confronts an opposing view. We must be ready to accept the ‘uncomfortableness’ of faith in order to live it.” I also added that “if my faith is challenged and I don’t feel uncomfortable about it, it may be an indication of a lukewarm attitude toward my faith. Faith issues are sensitive and challenging. And when we come across expressions that go against our core beliefs, we should be able to reject them.” In this light, I believe our response as Christians is adequate. Whether it was meant to be the Last Supper or not, it does at least present that impression. I’m glad that we have expressed our disgust with it and called for more sensitivity.

In the same vein, as Christians, and especially as Catholics who believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, this scenario should not distract our focus, cause us to be negative, or shake our faith. It should, rather, strengthen our resolve to draw even closer to Jesus in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist. This is an opportunity to teach the world about the Eucharist and how we see it. It is a time for us to become walking tabernacles in the world. Again referencing my last article, I insist that when the core of our faith is challenged, it should make us uncomfortable and consequently cause us to seize that opportunity to explain our faith in the best way that we can. When I become uncomfortable, “it means that I have a teachable moment; it means that I need to explain exactly what I believe. An uncomfortable faith is a faith that leads to effective evangelization and catechesis. … An uncomfortable faith is a faith that encounters rejection but is strengthened because the person of faith sees an opportunity to teach. Your teachings may be accepted or not, you may succeed in changing minds or not, but you can leave the scene feeling good because you did what you needed to do — you tried to help someone understand what you truly believe.” These were my words in my last column.

We who are believers in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist must continue to make Him present in a world that does not understand Him as we do. I encourage you to strengthen your resolve to draw even closer to Jesus in the Eucharist and to be an example of the Eucharist to anyone who comes your way. My prayer is that these five weeks in which we concentrate on the sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel in our Sunday liturgies will draw us closer to Jesus, the Bread of Life.

Father Jacob Dankasa is the pastor of Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church in Irving.