An Ecstatic Dream of Eucharistic Reality

To savor the Holy Eucharist in the Body and Blood of Christ should bring solace to our spirituality.  Listen to the words as the deacon/priest says, “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the Divinity of Christ who humbled Himself to share in our humanity”.  

As Roman Catholics, there is no other pronouncement that so closely describes the essence of God reaching out to us as His Son is about to become the Sacrifice on the Altar redeeming our souls.  Even though you may never hear these words spoken listen with your heart and understand their meaning, as the minister mixes a drop of water with the wine to be offered to the Father.

Imagine for a moment you are in the place of the priest as the patten with a host and the chalice with wine are lifted before the Father in Consecration.  This happened with me in a dream so vivid that my thoughts were more than just illusory.  

Many of us dream in a REM type of sleep, learning, thinking, and organizing information.  To try and understand the different aspects can be overwhelming to some, and very confusing to the rest of us.  We can be sure that dreams that have positive signs are the ones to hold on to.  But, the dreamer usually can not ascertain the wanted results and we have very few memories of most of the action.  

Recently, I wrote about a dream (Encountering the Church Penitent) that appeared to represent some aspects of Purgatory and different groups of persons I encountered.  It was a learning experience and left me feeling good knowing that perhaps those in the dream were not in pain.  Some waiting, others entering paradise, and many already there; all realizing God’s Mercy.

Last night another moment of REM Sleep was very vivid and needs to be shared with at least anyone who may also have similar encounters.  As a deacon, I have never dreamt of performing a priest’s duties, until last night.  I was standing face to face with a priest friend, across the Altar, and he made a funny quick movement with his right arm as in a strange way of blessing.  Why that might have had any meaning in the dream is unclear.  The most startling event was to follow as I found myself standing alone and raising the host.  I am not sure if this first movement was during the offering at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer, or the actual raising of the host during the Consecration.  However, as the dream continued the elevation of the host seemed to find me in a trance and I didn’t remember that portion of the Consecration. It was as if I was somewhere in a deep sleep.  What was the most sincere and memorable action was when raising the Chalice I could sense the presence of God and was transported, if for a very short duration, somewhere and could feel and sense a Holy Presence that I may never experience until I am privileged to view the Beatific Vision of Almighty God.   I realized that there can never be a more sacred action as when a priest elevates the patten and chalice proclaiming, “This is My Body - This is the Blood given for the Remission of Sin”.  

In all of the events in my life there has never been a feeling so close to ecstasy and pleasure as this was.  My best recollection from this event is to be in a realm of complete comfort knowing that God was there, before during, and after, the Chalice’s raising.  And isn’t this what the Precious Blood is about?  Not feelings, but knowing the Blood shed for each of us completes a journey that invites all to follow.

Ralph B. Hathaway, February 2019