11/20 feast of Blessed Clelia Merloni: Patron of Forgiveness & the Betrayed
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Road to Purity
Introduction. Have you paid attention to the purification of the sacred vessels after Holy Eucharist? If not, please take the time to do so? When the vaulted door of the tabernacle is heard closing, it is speaking to us. Jesus is still present. Molecules of the precious Body and Blood remain on the sacred vessels.
The purpose of this post is to understand the holy vessels, the purification process, the priests' reverence and our required stewardship. What is happening, why, what vessels are involved and how should we behave? Moreover, who is Uzzah and how did he die?
Background. There are similar situations to ponder before unpacking this topic. First is Benediction: why won't the priest touch the monstrance when Jesus delivers His Divine blessing? On Corpus Christi Sunday, what is the procession protocol? Moreover, what was the immense power in the Ark of the Covenant, which contained these 3 objects below? What was the inspiration for Hollywood movies?
In Numbers 4:15, God gave Moses detailed instructions about handling the Ark of the Covenant. "After Aaron ... finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are ... to do the carrying. But they must not touch these holy things, or they will die. No matter how innocent, touching the ark was a violation and resulted in death. The goals were preservation of God’s holiness and fear of the Lord. Over time, the Israelites suffered from nearness fatigue and process drift. When transporting the ark long distances, they substituted a cart with oxen at the expense of a tedious procession requiring a marathon-rotation of specially garbed Kohathites. On the day of Uzzah's death, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled and the Ark was about to fall. Uzzah grabbed it for stabilization. God’s anger burned and Uzzah was struck dead, 1 Chronicles 13: 9--12. What are lessons from Uzzah's death? What Old Testament, sacred vessel practices, remain in use today? What arks are used today, to represent God's New Testament covenant?
Modern Sacred Vessels begin as ordinary, earthly objects made by human hands. There is nothing special about them until they embrace the Messiah's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Never again, are they the same. A full 10-step purification process for them may be found here. For communicants receiving under both Species, it even includes lipstick-removing details on Holy Grail purificators used between communicants at the altar rail.
At your next Holy Mass, please notice the priest's careful handling of the chalice and paten, pouring water to loosen particles of our Savior's Body. Watch the reverence of the priest's final consumption of Christ within the Holy Mass. Finally, see how he carefully folds the special purificator that dried the now-rinsed bloody chalice. The process is a holy ritual unto itself and a powerful moment for self-reflection.
Participating in the Holy Eucharist, we too, are transformed, as sacred vessels. With our fiat or "Amen," we proclaim our belief, accepting evangelizing responsibilities and all the necessary graces to be priests, prophets and kings. Our job is to carry Christ into the world, as new arks of His covenant. If we are sincere participants and active sacred vessels; we too, should never be the same.
Don't be an Uzzah. Post-reception of the Holy Eucharist, how might our bodies and souls be handled, as lovingly as a priest caressesing his sacred vessels? How might we treat one another with the same reverence, reserved for God's sacred vessels? In anger, envy or irritation; how might we purify ourselves through healing of the Sacred Heart cells that now dwell within us? In John 5: 1-15, Jesus asks the paralytic at the healing waters of Bethesda, "do you wish to be healed?" Or do we suffer from nearness fatigue and process drift?
Blessed Mother Mary, pray for us.
Jesus, I trust in you!
Sources:
Everyday Stewardship: Sacred Vessels | Tracy East Welliver, MTS
Purification of Sacred Vessels guidelines | St Joseph's in Buckeystown
Science cannot explain suffering. As Lay Passionist and nurse, she challenges modern health care assumptions; contraception, abortion, euthanasia, herd immunity and more. Behind every health dilemma, God asks us to abide in Him. Author of 7 books & >20 peer-reviewed nursing journal articles; she also writes as "The Catholic Nurse" on Substack, see "Archives." She is a veteran of the Army Nurse Corps. Her primary charism is mercy through which she explores redemptive suffering, spiritual healing and the joy of bringing of souls to God.
