Pd Raniero Cantalamessa
in The Word and Life, New Town 1990, pp. 273-274
The "already" that celebrates the Eucharist is the fullness of grace and joy of the messianic, it reminds us that the Bridegroom is already with us (cf. Mk 2.19 ).(...) Yet it is not a closed and final banquet, there is something "unfinished" it emerges that all the time. It was at that party as mentioned in the Gospel, which expects that, at any moment, the king comes to see the guests (Matt. 22:11). It is a banquet - like the night of the Exodus - is eaten standing up, with the belt at the waist, like those who are waiting to leave for the promised land. Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (1 Cor 11:26). (...) In instituting the Eucharist, Jesus, so to speak, made an appointment to the Church for another banquet that was to take place in the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 26.29). The Book of Revelation speaks of this very new and eternal banquet, to which the Lamb hours waiting for the bride: Write: Blessed are those invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb! (Rev 9.9). Therefore, after the consecration, we say: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." It is not enough, of course, that we proclaim our faith in the return of Lord in words only, during Mass, even in this, the Eucharist must "invade" the life. It's our whole life to proclaiming that we are waiting for the Lord to come, and proclaim it to the way in which we toil and rejoice in the things of this world, keeping alive the hope and ardent faith in the things above, where Christ there expected. Not only we, in fact, expect the Lord, the Lord expects us!
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