LIFT THE CITY...

As I was doing my admineering job at 100% KP Page this Corpus Christi Sunday, I stumbled upon one of the videos posted by one of my fellow admins. It shows a flash mob that happened somewhere in Argentina last Ascension Thursday (yah, Thursday.). Two Franciscan Capuchins brought the Blessed Sacrament in one shopping center. It was patterned after a flash mob, to see how the people would react to a particular scenario. This time, it’s for a holy cause; this time, it’s the Body of the Lord who is in the flash limelight. How did the people react to this?

Let me take the annotation that comes with the vid before I give my sentiments...

A Eucharistic flash mob in the centre of Preston, organised by the Capuchin Franciscans on Ascension Thursday 2011.

A small team of Catholic evangelists mingled with the crowd to hand out cards and explain what was going on. Here are some of the reactions...."What is this about? What is happening? What is this about?"One young girl said: "I've not seen anything like this since Church.""Are they doing this all day? ... Will they be doing it again? ... Are they doing this any where else?"Two young women asked: "Why does God allow hurt and pain in the world?" They agreed it was not God's fault but ours. Then they asked: "Why doesn't Jesus come again?" We explained that He is here in the form of bread, but would come again and we invited them to think about Him now."Is it religious? What is inside that thing?"A man said: "What is that guy doing?" An old woman with him replied: "That's Jesus. Show respect.""This is so moving! It is the first time I have seen it done outside. I can't wait to tell my parish priest!"

While the world is focused more on material things, a good few stopped to venerate and worship God hidden in the guise of bread. The rest just walked by, talked with friends, texted using their cellphones and did not give time for Christ. Also, it is obviously seen that majority of the mob belonged to the elderly, though there are also people in their middle ages. Where is the youth? There they are, murmuring and talking about what is happening.

In the midst of a society determined to work and have recreation, Jesus passed by to remind his people that he is still the center of their lives. He still comes to show his saving power that is hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. Sadly, the mob does not recognize him already. It seems like he is carefully forgotten by the modern age, especially by its youth and by its modern workers.

While he is forgotten by the modern age, still those who know him come to kneel before his majesty. The elderly who had their lives depended on Him already on the last days of their lives. There are some adults who still consider Him as the center of their everyday activity. And there are also a few number of children who just knelt there, still possessing the child-like innocence and humility, just as any child of God may have. They are a manifestation of how society treats Jesus in these times: while the multitude ignores him, a few can still stop by and kneel in front of His presence.

This is really a point of reflection for us, who are still aware of God’s consoling power in these days. Though we experience a lot of trying times, we can still find consolation in the Holy Eucharist. This is our primary defense against the modern influences of the new age. We are troubled by our struggles, but isn’t it true that we can still find solace in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist.

So we ask ourselves, If ever we can encounter a priest who raises the Blessed Sacrament in the middle of a shopping arcade, what would your reaction be? Where do we belong: to the mob of bystanders, or to the mob of the faithful in veneration before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament?

Let us think on this.