Chapter 152 Jesus is also poor
The air in this dark, cramped basement was filled with the smell of dampness and decay.
There were only a few burning candles, bringing some firelight to the space, dispersing the darkness into a small circle.
The brightest place in the entire space is the altar.
However, the reason why the altar was exceptionally bright was not because there were several kerosene lamps lit beside the altar.
This is especially because what is placed on the altar under the cross is no longer the traditional communion utensils, but a pot of steaming meat porridge.
The rising condensed water vapor carries a strong smell of food.
It also makes the host of the Eucharist in this underground church look particularly kind.
It was a young man who was too young to be true. He claimed to be Garris, who came from the north and was friends with the priest from a nearby church.
And this was indeed recognized by the priest. Even when the priest of the above-ground church finished the mass, he would privately emphasize that there was another mass in the underground church in the lower city of Karak, waiting for it. Go with the poor people.
Moreover, the priest of the above-ground church specifically mentioned that the Holy Communion prepared in the underground church would be particularly generous.
Therefore, many poor people, after experiencing mass in the above-ground church, will go to this underground church to experience mass again.
"...Jesus once told the rich that he hoped that they would give their wealth to the poor as written in the Old Testament, but the rich were not willing."
"What should we do? Jesus himself was also poor. He could not give much wealth to charity, so he could only dedicate himself to you."
“This is what he said: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life; To raise him up..."
"...The news of the coming resurrection is like the Holy Communion on this table, and everyone has a portion."
"...According to God's plan, brothers and sisters in a region must live together and be committed to building a new world with neither oppressors nor oppressed. That is the transition before the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven."
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"That is, now that Jesus has ascended to heaven, if he is still in the world, if he still dares to repeat what he said to the world, then the current church and lords will call him a rebel, a destroyer, a foreign Jew, and a propagandist of devil's ideas. ...will crucify him again”
"At that time, no one knows, Jesus will cry out those words again: God! Why have you abandoned me?"
In the dim room, the air seemed to freeze, and it was unnervingly quiet.
Garris's words made these poor people feel scared, but they couldn't help but want to think about it.
Once the fire of thinking is lit, the darkness of ignorance is bound to be dispelled. Just like the candlelight in this church, Garris is also using himself to ignite the fire in the hearts of believers.
Just as the sermon had concluded, a few simple verses of thanksgiving were recited at random.
There was a slight sound of wood grinding from the door of the underground church, and then it was pushed open.
For a moment, all the believers in the church looked back. They were deeply afraid that such a corner that could not be exposed to the sun would be known by some people.
However, when the door was opened, the first person to walk in was an acquaintance of these believers, the priest Antoine of the above-ground church in this parish.
Antoine is a young priest who is about twenty-five years old. It is because of his guarantee that the believers know that there is such a place and Garris in the lower city of Karak.
However, after the door was opened, it was not just the priest who walked in, but a skinny old woman followed behind him.
Without paying any particular attention to them, Garris announced to all present that it was time to distribute Holy Communion.
He picked up a piece of dry and hard bread, broke it into pieces, stirred it into the meat porridge, and handed it to the first believer who came up.
When the believers wanted to fall down at his feet and worship him, Garris refused directly with gestures.
"Get up, I am also a human being, even Jesus is the Son of Man. I have nothing to kneel on, so don't waste time."
"My flesh is real food... He who eats me will live because of me." 】
——"The Gospel of John" 6:55-57
One after another, believers received the Holy Communion. They really tasted the taste of meat, and they really had the hope of living until the next week because of this meat.
It is this pancake that absorbs the meat juice that allows these fishermen living in the sea of suffering to see the lighthouse of heaven on the other side.
If this happens every week, then I will try my best to survive until the next week!
After the Holy Communion was distributed, Garris did not lead the crowd to recite any scriptures. He just waved his hand casually, signaling to the believers present that the Mass was over and they should go back as soon as possible. Many people had strange gestures when bidding farewell to Garris, but Garris also didn't care.
But after most people dispersed, only three people were left in this small underground church.
They were Garris, Father Antoine, and the scrawny old woman.
While Garris was packing various ritual utensils alone, the old woman walked up on her own initiative, looking quite sad.
"Father..." she said in an almost hoarse voice, as if every word was tearing at her throat, "I did not confess before receiving Holy Communion."
"It's okay."
Garris lowered his eyes slightly and looked at such a woman.
He has a thin figure and staggering steps. His face looks like he is in his forties, but he is as stooped and aging as an old man in his seventies.
As she spoke, her chapped lips were slightly open and whimpering, and a trace of tears ran on her old cheeks before they dried up.
"I came late. Not only did I miss the Holy Communion distributed by Father Antoine, but I also almost missed yours. If Father Antoine hadn't led the way, I wouldn't have come here at all."
"Really, really... In the past three days, I have had nothing to eat but water. I am starving to death. I came to receive Holy Communion just to..."
The old woman's voice became quieter and quieter until she could no longer hear her. She was indeed confessing that she had received Holy Communion without repenting.
Confession is not to commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus, but to long for the Eucharist because of the hunger in your belly.
Isn't this a kind of greed?
Garris' tone was still cold, and he just said casually: "Take the rest back."
While speaking, he pointed at the undivided cakes and the shallow layer of meat porridge at the end.
The old woman's lips moved, with a look of astonishment on her face. She wanted to say something.
But Garris waved his hand to signal the other party not to say anything.
"Take it away quickly, the porridge is getting cold."
Father Antoine on the side looked at the scene that happened. He said nothing and did not stop it.
Even all the actions of Garris are actually blatant heresy.
In Catholicism, the church believes that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ through "transubstantiation."
During the Mass, when the priest recites the prayer of consecration, the body and blood of Christ truly descend into the bread and wine in their "substantial" form, that is, in their essence and not in an external physical form.
Although the external form of these substances, such as color, taste, texture, etc., has not changed, their essence has been transformed into the flesh and blood of Christ.
Therefore, the bread and wine distributed in the Eucharist are regarded as the true body and blood of Christ.
This transformation is irreversible, so in order to treat the body and blood of Jesus with respect, unused Holy Communion will be respectfully kept in the tabernacle and shall not be discarded at will.
However, the poor people who participated in the mass not only ate the bread, but also hid a lot of uneaten bread under their clothes and wanted to take it back.
Garris' current behavior has almost completely destroyed the mystery and sanctity of the Holy Communion, making it vulgar and secular... and turned it into an almost pure act of charity.
Moreover, who would add meat porridge to their Holy Communion? This is too blasphemous!
But would Father Antoine say anything?
He wouldn't say anything when the old woman who attended the Mass for Garris for the first time left the underground church with a pot in her hands with a shocked look on her face.
Father Antoine showed an almost fanatical expression towards Garris!
Because, he was convinced that the young Frank in front of him was the incarnation of the flesh and blood of Christ!
This young man was cutting out his own body to feed the poor.
First update
(End of chapter)