Host: Welcome to Saint Patrick Catholic Community Podcast. We're glad you're with us.
Fr. Sebastian: Most of us are familiar with the name Eric. But the name I said is not father Eric. Of course, he's a legend. It's Eric Liddell. He was a Scottish sprinter, rugby player, and a Christian missionary whose life became famous for how he balanced elite sport with deep personal faith.
The movie Chariots of Fire made his story world famous. He was born in nineteen o two in China to Scottish missionary parents. As a young man, he was an outstanding athlete, especially in sprinting, and he studied at the University of Edinburgh. There he became one of Britain's fastest runners, known for his powerful style and and strong finishing speed. Liddell qualified for the nineteen twenty four Olympic games as part of Great Britain's sprint team.
He was expected to compete in the one hundred minute race, his strongest event. However, when the Olympic schedule was released, he discovered that the heats for the 100 meters would be held on a Sunday. Because of his Christian beliefs, he considered Sunday a day of worship and rest. He made the difficult decision to withdraw from the race even though it was his best opportunity to win Olympic gold. This decision shocked the British team and the public.
Instead, he focused on the 400 meters, a race in which he was less experienced. Before the final, an American athlete reportedly handed him a note containing a verse from the scripture. It is from first Samuel chapter two verse 30. Those who honor me, I will honor. On race day, Eric Liddell ran the race of his life.
He not only won the gold medal, but also set a world record. His victory became one of the most inspiring moments in Olympic history. Brothers and sisters, that simple words, those who honor me, I will honor, speaks powerfully to us today on this feast day of Corpus Christi. Little on a guard, by sacrificing something precious to him, he gave up his own plans out of respect for the Lord. And God blessed him in a way he never expected.
Today, we celebrate something infinitely greater than an Olympic victory. We celebrate the most holy body most holy body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is not merely a symbol. It is not merely a reminder. It is Jesus himself.
His body, blood, soul, and divinity. The same Jesus who walked in Galilee, died on Calvary, and rose from the dead comes to us in the holy Eucharist. If Eric Liddell was willing to sacrifice an Olympic race out of reverence to reverence for God, what sacrifices are we willing to make for Jesus truly present in the Eucharist? Do we prepare ourselves well before well before coming to mass? Do we arrive on time and participate with attention and devotion?
Do we make the effort to confess our sins when necessary so that we may receive holy communion with a pure heart? Do we approach the alt altar with faith knowing whom we are receiving? The Eucharist deserves our greatest respect because it is the greatest gift God has given us. Every mass is a meeting with Christ. Every communion is an encounter with the living Lord.
At the same time, we must remember another beautiful truth. The Eucharist is not a reward for the perfect. It is medicine for those who need God's strength. We do not come to holy communion because we have ended. We come because we need Jesus.
We come with our weaknesses, our struggles, our fears, and our burdens. Christ nourishes us with his own life so that we may grow in holiness. Just as medicine heals the body, the Eucharist heals, strengthens, and renews our souls. Of course, we should be reconciled with God through confession when conscious of serious sin. But none of us comes to this altar because we are perfect.
We come because we need the grace that only Christ can give Christ can give. Sometimes receiving Jesus requires sacrifice. It may mean giving up comfort to attend mass. It may mean setting aside distractions. It may mean changing habits, forgiving someone, or turning away from sin.
But every sacrifice made for Christ is worth it. The world teaches us to ask, what do I gain? The Eucharist teaches us to ask, what can I give in return for such love? At every mass, Christ gives everything. He offers his body and blood for us.
He holds nothing back. The question is whether we will respond with love, reverence, and sacrifice. Eric Liddell respected God more than his own ambitions. His life reminds us that when we place God first, we never lose. Today, as we approach the altar, let us remember those words.
Those who honor me, I will honor. Let us honor Christ in the Eucharist through our faith, our reverence, our preparation, and our sacrifices. And as we receive his body and blood, may Jesus transform our hearts, strengthen our faith, heal our weaknesses, and help us become living witnesses of his presence in the world. Amen.
Host: This has been a Saint Patrick Catholic Community podcast. For more of our shows, go to our website and click Saint Patrick's Studio.