If you don’t think there’s power in the Eucharist all you needed to do was watch what happened when that online “auctioneer,” eBay tried to sell a Host. Against that, you could feel the power.
It was late Wednesday that an e-mail alerted Spirit Daily to the sale of a Communion “wafer” (as the media likes to refer to it) on the internet, a Host that supposedly was consecrated by Pope John Paul II during his anniversary Mass in 1998. It had been whisked away by an American student, and in California, a man outraged that anyone would do something like that almost immediately bought it to keep it out of the hands of souvenir hunters (or worse).
In his urgency, in his outrage, in the fact that he couldn’t really even afford the $2,000 he offered for it (trumping a bid for $150), it was clear how and what this good Catholic felt about that “wafer.”
It is not a piece of material. It is not physical food. It is the Body and Blood of Jesus, and tons of e-mails, faxes, and phone calls began a surge so strong that eBay — which at first tried to slough it off — was itself jarred, as was the seller. who initially had vowed to delete (without reading) any protesting e-mails he received, explaining that he was not Catholic and didn’t care what Catholics thought.
He did care when he saw the avalanche of actual outrage that ensued and ended up handing it over to the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, along with an apology, without taking a dime for it.
Only the Real Presence, only respect for its real power, could do that. Only the Real Presence could inspire national outrage in a flash. It made Catholics across the country feel the power in a new way and lifted Catholics as a people who will not always sit back and let everyone take shots at them — not when the very Body and Blood of Christ is at issue.
“Hello Mary, thank you for taking the time to write us,” a representative of eBay tried to tell one of our viewers. “We know your time is valuable and we appreciate your taking a moment to express concern over this particular item. We understand that you are upset at having seen certain Catholic items or items related to the Pope on eBay, including item #6169851381. Because eBay’s community is a diverse, international group of more than 135 million users with varied backgrounds and beliefs, there are times when some items listed on eBay by sellers might be offensive to at least some of our users somewhere in the world. At times, members may see listings that they may consider morally wrong or objectionable. However, even though these listings may be offensive to some, please remember that most of the time the law does not prohibit the items.”
Due to that “freedom,” said eBay, it would not remove such an item; it didn’t see the big deal. “The Eucharist is not illegal to sell, and is generally allowed on eBay as long as the seller does not otherwise include hateful text or images in the listing,” said the spokesman. “Although we realize that you may not agree with this decision on eBay’s part, we hope that you can respect the diverse and open nature of eBay’s marketplace.”
Indeed, at the very same time, eBay was offering anointed oil, “Catholic relics of saints” (by its own admission), and a blessed postcard — although new outrage from you the viewers may have stopped this also. It also listed what the seller was calling “Sterling silver Corps de Cristo, Communion wafer safe,” known to some as a ciborium (latest bid: $27).
“Due to the fact that eBay’s focus is to have a free and diverse community, we are reluctant to interfere with listings that are not illegal,” said eBay.
But the power of that “wafer” was too strong and we should all better appreciate that force when we go to Holy Communion; we should more fully prepare for it. Perhaps if we respected it more, others would also.
It is in the preparation and respect for the Eucharist that Christ sheds His greatest power, and in our time, it is precisely this power of which we need to partake, as frequently as possible.
There is a spiritual war going on, and the Christian soldiers had no sword and no shield without it.
“In regard to the eBay Host article, this does not surprise me in the least,” wrote one priest to us. “Recently, while on sabbatical in Rome, I participated in several papal Masses and administered Holy Communion in St. Peter’s Square. With no disrespect meant, it was a ‘free for all.’ One man who took Holy Communion in his hand, had no idea what to do with it, and just walked away. I am sure he thought is was a souvenir. Another group of kids were laughing, chewing gum and reached out to take the Blessed Sacrament as if it were candy. No effort is made by Vatican officials to instruct people on the necessary conditions to receive Holy Communion.”
The now-famous papal Host was supposedly taken as a “memento” that the seller took home after Mass at the Vatican on October 18th, 1998 (consuming one and going back for another). This also indicates a problem.
Perhaps, among other things, the Vatican will want to take a close look at the handling of the Eucharist not just in St. Peter’s Square but everywhere. Maybe it’s time not only to drill into the minds of Catholics the sacred nature of the sacrament but also that preparation for it should include reverence, sanctity, and Confession.
It is the lack of Confession that has taken us to a slippery slope in other less visible ways. Respect for the Eucharist must start with us, the Church — with the Church in every corner of the world.
But back to the secular aspect:
Never mind your policies of openness, eBay. Never mind the fact that as far as you can tell it did not explicitly promote “hatred, violence, or racial intolerance.”
It showed a disrespect for Jesus and His Church and as far as we Catholics are concerned, that’s violence enough and we’re not going to take it any longer.
[resources: Michael Brown's Secrets of the Eucharist]
