The World’s First New Covenant Tabernacle

Details: 14 June 2013

Most of us who have read about Blessed Mother Teresa know that stories about her abound. The following is one of my favorites. Once, a priest asked Blessed Mother Teresa how she could work with people he described as foul smelling, filthy vermin. Without skipping a beat, Mother Teresa replied, "Father, I did not know they are like that. Every morning I make a holy hour and receive Jesus in Holy Communion and then I go out and see Jesus in the people I encounter. I didn’t know they are like that." Blessed Mother Teresa made no secrets of the source of her inner strength – time spent in front of the Blessed Sacrament - some days three hours or more and the reception of Holy Communion.

Remember reading about the Annunciation and the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk 1:26-56)? Our Blessed Mother had a visit from the Archangel Gabriel, who announced she was chosen from all eternity to be the mother of the Divine Savior. After freely assenting, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1:14), in the tabernacle of her womb. We know that immediately after this most important event in the history of the world, she left and took Jesus (who was inside her) to visit an elderly woman in need- her cousin, Elizabeth. She stayed with her three months and helped her through her pregnancy with St. John the Baptist. The Virgin Mother of God after the Incarnation was therefore the first Tabernacle of the New Covenant.

It is the same with all of us. Like Blessed Mother Teresa, when we receive Jesus frequently and worthily in Holy Communion, we become little tabernacles in which Jesus resides. We become one with Him and receive the knowledge, wisdom and understanding in order to see Jesus in others. We are empowered to go out and see Jesus in individuals we encounter, especially those who are in need. Only then does the following passage make any real sense, "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was sick and you visited me … Truly, I say to you, as you did it to the one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Mt 25:35-40).

As Catholics, we are called to see Jesus in the poor and needy regardless of their appearances. This is only possible if we first have Jesus within us. This is why the sacraments are so important. Sacraments are signs started by Jesus that give us Sanctifying Grace or the very life of God. The two that we are able to receive most frequently are the sacraments of penance and the Holy Eucharist. Every time we go to confession (Jn 20:23), not only do we obtain pardon for our sins, we receive God’s Divine life within us. When we receive Holy Communion, we receive God’s Divine life within us and the very flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, the only medicine of immortality. The closer we get to God, the easier it becomes seeing His presence in others.

Let us thank Almighty God that like the Blessed Virgin Mary, our spiritual Mother, we too can imitate Blessed Mother Teresa by becoming little tabernacles after worthily receiving the Blessed Sacrament with the ability and vision to see Jesus in the poor and needy. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen!