From the Friars: Panis Angelicus
Most have probably heard about the blasphemous opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris. Some feminists have also complained that this incessant glorification of drag queens also denigrates women. But blasphemy is among the worst of sins because it is an offense against God Himself. The Last Supper was mocked. How ironic, and providential, that this sad event occurred right as the Church is reading John, Chapter Six, for five Sundays in a row at Holy Mass. Not to mention that it comes on the heels of the recent National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
The expression “ugly as sin” comes to mind. Sinful behavior is always repulsive and grotesque and painful to see or think about. That is, unless our conscience has been numbed or killed. That which is loving, good and holy is always beautiful. Beauty gives a deep and pure pleasure because we were made for God and God is Beauty Itself, infinite beauty. The Holy Eucharist is the most beautiful reality of this world because it is Beauty Incarnate.
The devil hates beauty and delights in that which is ugly. This is why satanists perform the black mass to attack and mock the Beauty of the greatest act of love possible. People who sin, usually without realizing it, are often being led by demons. And demons were once beautiful angels who rejected God’s love. Tolkien brilliantly captured this in The Lord of the Rings with his monster orcs who had once been benevolent elves.
The Gathering of the Manna, by James Tissot – Public Domain, Link
In today’s Mass we pray Psalm 78 which speaks of the manna in the desert, a symbol of the Holy Eucharist. “He gave them bread from heaven, man ate the bread of angels.” (vv. 24-25) St. Thomas Aquinas wrote the hymn “Sacris Solemniis” for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. From this comes the amazingly beautiful hymn “Panis Angelicus.”
Then the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo mocked Muhammad and the Muslim faith, twelve people were killed by terrorists in retaliation. When Jesus was mocked, spit on and nailed to a cross, His response was “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34)
Let us overcome evil with good. Let us destroy the ugliness of sin with the beauty of holiness.
Peace.
— Fr. Peter