Thread by @SimchaFisher

There's a meme circulating with Pope Francis holding up an object with his eyes closed, and people are shopping in various funny objects. In the original photo, the object is a host being consecrated. This means being turned from bread into the actual body and blood of God. 1/

2/ I know most people don't believe this is what happens at Mass, but Catholics do. It is the holiest and most central moment of our entire faith. It really hurts to see it held up for ridicule. I've only seen silly ones, but I assume there are gross and profane ones, too.

3/ I suppose people think it's fine to mock Catholicism because pedo priests + other various grave scandals. Please understand that, when you mock the sacrament of the Eucharist, all you're doing is hurting Catholics who have already been profoundly hurt by these same scandals.

4/ When you make goofy pictures of the consecration, it's like making goofy pictures of ... well, I can't think of an equivalent, because the whole point is that there's nothing like it.

5/ I guess I'm just asking you to think twice. If you wouldn't normally make a joke that inflicts serious pain on people, then you should know this joke is in that category.
If you would normally make such a joke, then . . . remember that you will die someday.

6/ And in return I will renew my resolve to be more careful in how I speak about other people's religions. Thanks, that's it.

7/ I guess I have more. I don't think people realize how *protective* Catholics are of Jesus. He's truly God, immortal, omnipotent, omniscient, and all the rest....

8/ But He's also, in the Eucharist, this bafflingly fragile thing, this tiny, breakable wafer that it's very, very easy to maltreat. And it's really Him.The Eucharist reminds us of the resurrection & the conquering of death and sin, but it's also a terrifyingly vulnerable moment.

9/ And that's how it is every time. Very susceptible to profanation. That's how He designed it, even when people aren't meme-ing it. WHY? I don't know. I can think of some reasons. But the upshot is that this is a VERY PRECARIOUS MOMENT, and we should take care.

10/ Here, here's a thing I wrote. If you don't understand why we feel this way, at least you should know that we do. Please be careful. simchafisher.com/2016/08/01/he-…