Well I didn't know whether to kneel or laugh. The Eucharist should be at the centre of our worship not an adjunct to it.
Did he ask the Lord if he wanted to dance? Problems always come when we treat the Eucharist as a thing rather than a person.
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45 comments:
I'm sure it's out of love though - they're not being malicious. It's a nice monstrance.
I found this painful to watch. How can anyone believe that this is an acceptable way to treat Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?
I almost wish you hadn't put this up!
words fail me!
Nothing reveals more conspicuously that you are a convert, Fr Ray - and, I suspect, some of your commentators - than your wry, ungenerous, puritanical reactions to this wonderful clip. Think back to the Counter-Reformation - a little earlier that Vatican I. In the c17 the Jesuits in Rome organised sacred ballet and dance with magnificent music in the Gesu, and elsewhere, during the Forty Hours Devotion. It drew multitudes and the entire east end of the church became a magnificent stage set, thronged with saints and angels, with a gigantic monstrance in the middle containing the Most Holy. It spread from there through southern Europe, to the early Jesuit missions and the reductions in Paraguay. To this day some of the southern Spanish cathedrals have boy dancers who perform at Mass in dalmatics to the delight of all. In the past they went on to become priests and canons. Joee is spot on, this clip is not entertainment in a sacriligious sense but an act of love with no malice attached. Look at the reverent, awe struck faces of the crowd as the Blesed Sacrament in carried in their midst (Hebdomadary, did you notice the ombrellino? I expect that gave you a thrill). This is an act of adoration, devotion and love, an integral act of joy in the Lord's Presence, perfomed in the Mediterranes/Hispanic tradition - and you will find the same in Africs, India and the Far East. It's foreign to our northern culture (many of us are still Jansenist at heart) and would be artificial here but I have not seen such a profound act of reverence and love for a long time. These good people love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Rejoice in the Lord, always, and again I say rejoice. So Hedomadary, Mac McLernon, priestfromupnorth (I'm glad I don't live there), Fr Ray, go on a trip to South America and give your knicker elastic some exercise. And, as for Joee, he's got the point, good lad, although I don't share his admiration for the monstrance - not enough jewels and cherubs for me. I'm now going to watch in again. Cheer up.
Fr Ray, how can you be so mean? Have you never travelled? If you have been to South America (as I have) you will have seen that this act of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is as natural to the people as breathing. Didn't you pick up something of this joy in Naples recently? Do you read Spanish? If not, I'll post a translation of the beautiful words of that song. I wish I was as nimble on my feet as that good and holy priest. He has a face that radiates love. I am sure Our Lord rvelled in dancing in the midst of his people and smiled from heaven. Joee Blogs, I like your opening comment; it reflects your own love and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. You clearly understand what lies at the heart of this lovely act of adoration. We should all be happy in our faith.
If you want to save South America from American Evangelicals and re-evangelise the people, this is the way to do it. Those young lads and young sisters must have spent hours getting it right and it was all done for love of the Blessed Sacrament.
I have no problem with splendour, baroque or otherwise.
I do have a problem treating the Blessed Sacrament as an object rather than a person, in this clip this is what is happening. If you look at the clip it is a choreographed performance, with applause, by as Hebdomadary says a corpse de dance.
It is to safeguard against this sort of thing that the Church has a reasonably clear liturgical instructions.
It is not for any priest, or bishop, to "invent" his own way of doing such things, that way leads to doctrinal confusion.
As for the dancing in Spanish Cathedrals, always cited to defend dancing in Church: Toledo is the only place I think it takes place, it is actually more of a procession than a dance, a very restrained and grave pavan, hardly comparable to this.
Sorry Seville, not Toledo.
We bow, then, in veneration
before the sacrament
and the old form
gives way to the new rite:
may faith make up for
the failings of our senses.
Tantum ergo sacramentum veneremur.
What is there on the altar is Jesus, the Living and True God. Not a maypole.
This would not work in England, but it's as right as rain in South America. Choreographed performance? That's why it's so good. Surely this is what rubrics achieve for the Mass? Applause? Ever been to a papal Mass? It's people like you and some of the sour commentators on this blog who cause the divisions in the Church, and you don't even understand what you are criticising. I am thankful that others recognise what this clip really means. Ever been to Seville? I have, and the dance there makes people smile. I note you have not commented on Counter-Reformation sacred ballet. You should read it up and look at the engravings from that period. As for Hebdomadery, there is no greater pity and disdain, no laughter colder, more cynical and derisive than he has for himself, unhappy man. He even keeps his blog to himself, thank God.
"If you want to save South America from American Evangelicals and re-evangelise the people, this is the way to do it."
As a Brazilian living in England, I am sick of hearing North Americans and Europeans having some magic formula for saving the faith in my homeland. Treating us as naive children is not the answer, what is needed is the strong wine of the Gospel not the sweetened milk of infants.
I find this comment patronising, if not racist.
"it is actually more of a procession than a dance, a very restrained and grave pavan, hardly comparable to this."
Father,
Actually you are wrong it has become over the centuries a sort of minute. You are right that it is "restrained and grave" and "hardly comparable to this".
Its origin is 14th or 13th century, it is not done at Mass but at Vespers in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed, during it everyone kneels, it is only in recent years that applause has crept in, though most people consider that bad form, despite the castanets it is incredibly reverent.
'Corpse de danse', Fr Blake. Don't you mean 'corps de ballet'? If you ask me, there are too many corpses commentating on this item. Effusive though it it is there is genuine reverence here - reverence for the abiding presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Maypoles, regarding the Blessed Sacrament as 'it' do not come into the case. With no Host the devotion would be meaningless, with a Host it makes sense. This is a Catholic act of Adoration in a Catholic country and those present are believers rather than spectators. There are people of all generations, too, not the late middle-aged and old, with a small sprinkling of the young and a few children, like our own dear land. Catholicism is supposed to be a happy religion, but when I look at the misery on the faces of some of my fellow worishippers and the pathological bitterness of some of these comments I sometimes have my doubts.
"If you want to save South America from American Evangelicals and re-evangelise the people, this is the way to do it."
It is worth looking at what Abp Ranjith, secretary to Cong for Divine Worship had to say about Inculturation, in his native Asia.
Count me among those who came to mock, but stayed to pray. That is not to say it is to my taste: the music was banal and the girls' translucent dresses were immodest. But what separates this from the atrocities perpetrated in Los Angeles or Linz is a pervading genuineness (inculturation?) as opposed to mere "middle aged trendiness".
A touch of "hey Jesus, my brother and my mate" can perhaps occasionaly lift a tired heart, but this should never be at the ultimate expense of the terror, the awe and the love of "My Lord and My God".
I understand this is part of a New Movement in South America that's doing well in terms of numbers.
I think if the movement became international it would have to drop the dancing with the monstrance, but there's no doubt that they want to love the Lord.
However I do not think dancing with the monstrance is suitable, moreover it is not grounded in tradition. But you can't doubt they have good intentions and want to love Our Lord.
Father, thanks again for the topic and forgive the long post. Again I would like to make a few remarks which tend to side with you and some of the other who I note are accused of being ‘perhaps converts’ or Jansenists. Hardly a worthy response. Do you even know what Jasenism is? The posts and the video clip are linked to so many of the problems in the Church and the world right now and it is hard to distinguish them sometimes. Another thing that made me uneasy about that clip is the pseudo ‘temple’ nature of it, even the odd ‘baruch hashem’ thrown in. This is something which is used as an excuse by many who advocate modern liturgical inventions, that it is part of a return to something ‘ancient’ something ‘historical’. Well, as and archaeologist and historian… what utter rubbish. I smell dodgy history linked with more suspect theology. We have no idea in detail what the ritual dances were. Dancing took place, we know that from Sacred Scripture and others documents, but not in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament of course and that is the point… the Old Law and with it the customs and practice are gone! They were fulfilled and perfected by Our Lord and His Sacrifice replaced by the Liturgy thus instituted by Him and through His Church.
It is a huge problem once again. Like the comments on Free-Masonry, that because it feels good, or is motivated by a good desire well then that makes it ok? How? I don’t get that one. Surely the point of the Liturgy is to raise one above the banal and render homage to Our Creator in the most perfect way that we can. Is it not He whom the Angles, Dominions and Powers fall down before in Adoration? Should we then not too do so with awe and reverence (I recommend reading what the Council of Trent, Session XIII, says on latria due to God in the most Holy Sacrament, Denzinger 878). After all, unlike in Biblical times, Our Blessed Lord is truly and substantially present as He is in Heaven. Should we presume in our dealings with the Blessed Sacrament, no matter our personal motives, to know better than what the Church teaches us or what has been given to us by Tradition to prevent us from even the possibility of being guilty of abuse of this precious Sacrament.
On the Spanish customs, well again the Church allows things to be done in some places but it is certainly not made up randomly nor does it include dancing with the Blessed Sacrament in that manner. The comparison hardly applies really. And to argue that because something IS or WAS done does not mean it SHOULD be done. History and feelings should never be our reason. We need to understand WHY we do something. We live in an age when the abuse of the Mass and Blessed Sacrament is so wide spread. While one should have joy in our worship of Him lets us not forget that over familiarity is not good either. I would encourage you to read St Pio of Pietraclina on the Mass and Blessed Sacrament. Perhaps that is the problem we have gone so far in being friends with Jesus that we have forgotten the wrath and judgement of God too.
Some of the negative comments occasioned by this post made me think 'let the dead bury the dead'. But I knew that was not good enough so I surfed the web and looked up the Comunidade Catolica Shalom on Google as I could not help being impressed by the obvious devotion of the priest, the dancers and the congregation in this astonishing video clip. It is, I discover, a profoundly Catholic and orthodox organisation, founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1982, inspired by the visit to Brazil of Pope John Paul II. It was blessed by Cardinal Larscheider and canonically instituted in 1998 by Caridnal Hummes under the patronage of the Archbishop of Forialeza. It has a scriptural basis and its aims are the study of Catholic doctrine, prayer, the sacraments, the liturgy; it is a missionery fraternity devoted to the envangelization of Brazil, a body united as the children of Mary, guided by the spirit of St Francis and St Teresa of Avila. In other words it's one of the new movements beloved of the great Pope John Paul II. Asfor the clip, not only did I enjoy watching the young people dance, like David, before the Lord, I was deeply moved by the spontaneous whistles and ovation of the crowd when the Blessed Sacrament was raised by that good priest, taken from his throne, and brought among his people. This, I realized, was no pop gathering, but a body of believers in love with the Blessed Sacrament, present body, blood, soul and divinity. There was no question of seeing It as a 'thing', these people are at home in his Presence. Londiniensis, Joee, Veronica and some of the others who might otherwise be put off by this kind of thing, done for the wrong reasons, are right. It is a genuine act of worship. I am sad that Raoul-Maria de Gomez has taken exception to what some have said about the evangelization of his country but what the Comunidade is doing is bringingthe srong wine of the Gospel and is far from providing the sweet milk of infants. This group is heart and soul within the Church and its life-giving teaching. It would not surprise me if they were asked to perform before the Holy Father on his forthcoming visit, we shall have to wait and see. Watch it again and look closely at the faces of the congregation and dancers, the reverent expression of the priest. They are deeply moving and give me much gratitude to the Lord for their existance. It is clearly a heavily graced work. Thank you, Father, for posting it, you have done more good than you intended. As for the Jesuits, Hebdomadary, they are now back in favour with the present Holy Father. Not only is he promoting them to several key offices, not least as his press spokesman, he has side-lined the Legionaries and Opus Dei, neither of whom have any longer direct access to him, as they had with his predecessor. And Fr Marcial Marciel Dongolado commited his unsavoury crimes in the reign of Pope Pius XII, long before the Second Vatican Council. Sorry you disdain St Edmund Campion and the many other Jesuit martyrs who died to keep the faith alive in England from the sixteenth to the end of the seventeenth century. We would not have existed without them
I find this strange, certainly the priest looks paticularly comic to me, I am willing to admit that is my subjective opinion.
It is not whether there is devotion or even love that matters, most Christians act out of love, very few out of malice. I think this is comparable to the Neo-Catechumenate, who have made their own rite of Mass. The problem with that is that theology folows Rite. "What we do, so do we believe". Praxis that is outside of the mainstream, which invariably starts off as an innocent aberration, is the beginning of a Church within the Church, then a Church which is parallel with the Church, then something which is completely outside the Church.
It is for this reason that the Church has demanded that the Neo-Catechumenate return to the normal practices of the Church.
If this organisation is so influential then it is even more important that it abandons the eccentric and embraces the authentic rites of the Church.
I am becoming a Catholic at Easter because I have come to realise that the papacy as an institution is divinely ordained and represents the centre of the unity of the Church. Thou art Peter etc. I admired Pope John Paul II and greatly admire Pope Benedict XVI, especially his books and his humility, although it is not personalities that have influenced me. I see them and their predecessors as Vicars of Christ. But, to be frank and rather rude, when I read Hebdomadary's comments on this and other Catholic blogs I feel enveloped by a choking cloud of religious halitosis. Catholics like him don't put me off the Church, it is too big for that, but when I submit I hope I don't run into many of them because they remind me of the company of sad, embittered Anglo-Catholics who cling on to an archaic dream and are,in my experience, best avoided. You find them complaining on the back seats of coaches to Walsingham and at fly blown meetings of the Anglo-Catholic History Society. I have not, so far, encountered anything like this Eucharistic celebration and I don't expect to do so in Europe, but it made me feel better for watching it. I am praying that I might pick up a little of its fervour. By the way, interrogator, this is not a Mass but Adoration, therefore extra-liturgical. Doubtless Benediction was given at the end.
10 for, 10 against, 2 neutral. Good night everyone.
Dear Prospective convert… Congrat’s on you becoming a Catholic this Easter coming. May you receive many blessings. I just wanted to comment on your remarks to Hebdomadary.
While we must try and make our comments with fraternal charity, nevertheless he does have some valid points. There are many young people, myself among them, who question the theological and liturgical direction that the Church has taken in the last 30 odd years. One only has to look at the large numbers of young men and women who fill the seminaries, convents and monasteries of those Orders and Congregations who use the pre-Vatican II liturgy with Papal approval, and the numbers keep growing (1 priest every three weeks on average with the Fraternity of St. Peter).
This is not just a case of ‘fly ridden Anglo-Catholics’. The traditional ways have been around a lot longer than 30 years and they were not instituted in the same manner, which has by many scholars been identified as part of the problem. But like I mentioned above it is not just an archaic attachment to the past, but a genuine concern that out of bad practice flows error and indeed is also the symptom of error. We should always understand why something is done. The past few decades are complex, and while I trust in the Holy Ghost guiding the Church so too we are not just passive participants, but have a duty to engage and question too. Indeed history teaches us just this lesson.
I humbly encourage you to explore the history of your new Faith and the depth of its practice, beyond the recent, which in some cases is at odds with a series of Sacred Tradition since the time of Christ and His Apostles.
In BMV.
Yes congratulations "Prospective Convert".
I think I have lost a comment somewhere, my appologies.
Pleaswe try and refrain from using "anonymous" it makes it difficult to reply without quotations, which take up space.
I hadn't realised this clip would cause so much discussion. I just thought it odd and prefer priests to follow the correct Rites of the Church.
But carry on the discussion.
words fail me; this was a genuine expression without the prejudicial judgement that u seem willing 2 make.for me I am delighted that an elderly grey bearded priest, looking like Gandalf is so obviously in love with his Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament , that he could dance! so what; how could we restrain ourselves in the presence of the God who loves Us
Well, Hebdomadery, at last we now know where you live and I am relieved that it's not in Britain or Europe and that I won't run into you. The American perspective is frequently, ignorant, misguided and off the wall. As for the possibility of me finding my way into conservative pockets of Catholic life. I am, I hope, joining a Church, not a sect. I have had quite enought of the second in the Church of England and from what I have discovered the same psychological types infest factional life wherever it is to be found, and they are usually deeply unpleasant. As for future worship, it's my local Catholic church for me as I seek ordinary Catholicism, rather than the eclectic form found in central London churches. Again, I've already gone through that phase. The priest who is instructing me (he did not think I needed to go through the RCIA, but I would happily have done so) is orthodox, intelligent, experienced, human, a good pastor and he prays. Pray for me.
Dear brother up north, sorry if I misconstrued your exclamation. Neither of us could get away with this demonstration of Eucharistic piety in our parishes, nor, I suspect, would we want to. In any case, I'm now too arthritic for dancing. It's not our style, but I am interested that this video clip has provoked such wide and interesting discussion. The mysterious YouTube is full of surprises, good and bad. I think this Community of Peace will achieve great things in Brazil, a country I've never visited, nor ever shall now. Hebdomedary, if anything shows you've lost the plot it's your latest comments. I can hardly believe what I've read about the last and present Holy Fathers. Show them some respect. If you ask me, I think you are a secret agent for the Protestant Truth Society, so unattractive do you make our faith. Prospective convert, welcome home, we're glad to have you. Quo Vadis, I am old enough to remember the past when it was the present, I was at the English College before and during the early years of the Council. Heady times that led some to have impossible expectations, but not me. The Church had as many problems then as it does now, each generation presents new ones, but I don't despair. I am interested in the traditionalist fraternities and religious orders and can understand why they have come into being. But I'm afraid they are going to face the same social realities as the rest of the Church and they are not going to make their apostolates any easier. Trust the holy Spirit and confide your worries to Mary.
Frfromupnorth. Gundulf was a good guy, glad you see him reflected in this kindly old priest. Did you also notice that when the Blessed Sacrament was carried through the crowds the young dancers preceded it, dancing backwards, like the thurifers in the Corpus Christi processions of old? That's further proof of the authenticity of this act of Eucharistic Adoration for me. I think its wonderful, it's strengthened my faith and put a smile on my face.
"Did you see the reverence?"
Yes I did.
Did you see the disregard for the Directory on Eucharistic Devotion Outside Mass?
Did you therefore see the lack of devotion to the Church and therefore the irreverance?
Hebdomadary, which middle quote?
Peter J, you sound like a tired old MC with bunions whose been sidelined for years. Being a Catholic I am not too good on scripture, but didn't Jesus annoy the rubricists of his day by picking grain to eat on the Sabbath because he and the disciples were hungry? And I think he drove the dove sellers and money changers from the Temple, didn't he? They were indispesable for the 'correct' performance of some of the ceremonies. And didn't he also say somewhere that the latter kills and the spirit gives life? I hope you'll consult a rabbi to help you solve these contraventions of the Book of Leviticus. Doubtless he can find a booklet to help you on your way.
Well done on the blog Father, you have got us all going!
Some have commented on something I see as interesting.
Recent Popes have all led lives of great personal morality and devotion. Their personal moral lives provide them with a huge following and have become one of the reasons for people to accept their leadership (a problem perhaps?).
We now question anyone who has moral failings in all spheres of life (though the hypocrisy here is enormous), as though this invalidates their ability to think, or somehow removes their sacramental powers in the case of priests, which is a heresy (Even though in some cases one shouldn’t leave someone in apposition of authority if it will damage the reputation of the office, scandal etc.) But the office in itself remains intact despite this.
Perhaps we need to distinguish between personal devotion and moral rectitude (i.e. the person) and their acts and what they TEACH by those acts. The one does not equal or justify the other nor should it stop us questioning what they are doing and why. ‘He is a good guy it doesn’t matter’ is hardly much use in the long run. We must never forget that while the Church is Catholic before she is Roman… and here I refer to Rites of Liturgy, any rite or public acts must give expression to Her teaching and shouldn’t contradict nor lead one to error or scandalise others. This is the path to heresy and grave sin.
Despite or (perhaps in spite?) of this The Church does and will survive.
The fact that each age deals with its problems is a truism, indeed history shows us that each age brings with it its own social realities. BUT something’s are never new at their root. Much of this is the same argument which has rumbled on for many ages in different colours. The fact that the Church must reconcile that which is not of this world with that which is has always led to tensions. But again we must distinguish perhaps between the socio-economic politics of the world and those things which lie outside it and are not of it. While again, I am sure you and others of your generation had and have very good personal motives; the results I fear are now acknowledged by many, including some in the Hierarchy.
A simple return to the past in Liturgical acts will not solve the problems either, nor is this advocated by many, except some very small fringe groups or individuals. It is so much more complicated. Yes, the so called ‘traditionalist’ groups will, and do have problems on a social level, but just because something isn’t easy is no reason not to do it.
We must not fall into the trap of allowing ourselves to become so much like the world that we in fact start to become indistinguishable from it. We will become reduced to just another group of ‘do-gooders’ and the Truth of Faith is lost in the mass of equivalence. Acts matter, faith alone will not lead us to salvation (I think someone may have tried that one on the world before).
I have just removed 3 "anonymous" comments.
Please remember this a Catholic blog, Christ and the Whole Court of Heaven are online and judge what you say, so please avoid insults and rudeness.
He and They do not like it, nor do I.
The last post of mine was in response to Frfromdownsouth in case it didn’t make sense who I was addressing
Anonymous… ‘ube charitas?’ surely we don’t need to be insulting of those we don’t agree with?
But your point… yes Our Lord was scathing towards those who observe the Law to the exclusion of Charity… the virtue. Also in the words of scripture we must remember that Our Lord came to FUFIL it and NOT to destroy it. He had the authority and power as God to decide which laws would remain, which would now be unnecessary and which would be needed in the future. This authority was then given to the Church. To say therefore that rules don’t matter or are unimportant is a gross misunderstanding of Scripture.
The lesson to be taken from those parables and acts in relation to the Jews and their legal observances is that observation of any law becomes dead with out the motivation of faith. FAITH and ACTS. Neither, on its own is sufficient.
We must also remember that the divisions in Judaism at the time meant that some no longer sought a Messiah that would bring Salvation from sin, but just worldly power and worldly salvation. It is their acts and observances which became dead and withered and meaningless. This goes to the heart of the doctrine of Salvation and the Incarnation.
In BMV
The important point missing in this discussion is that liturgical dancing is banned in the West because our forms of dance have taken on romantic and profane meanings, whereas for other continents dancing is still a form of expressing joy.
Don't you think these comments should be brought to an end? The subject's exhausted and nobody's listening to each other. All this because of a group of people in Brazil who believe in the Eucharistic Presence. Truly the Devil knows how to divide and rule.
Well said, Megan, the West is no longer in a strong position to saying anything of value, major or minor. It's almost impossible for us to understand any other mindset than our own, and ours is bankrupt.
Father,
If anyone is wants to know I have posted a link to the most up-to-date Instruction from the Congregation for Divine Worship on my blog as well as some comments from earlier Instructions.
All personal beliefs aside! Bad advertising I know.
Blessed, praised and hallowed be Jesus Christ on His throne of glory, nnd in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
'The Eucharist should be at the centre of our worship not an adjunct to it' - I'm sorry Fr, but I fail to see how this para-liturgical (not liturgical, so talk of 'rites' is inappropriate) act of worship is anything buy Eucharist-centred.
I think we all agree that the church is in need of more devotional vitality. Pilgrimages, veneration of relics, 'statue rubbing', and devotions like this one should all be encouraged, I think, provided they are conceived in the right spirit. Isn't there a real danger of aestheticism, good taste being the only arbiter of what's appropriate?
Felix,
Devotion should be encourage, I agree with you, but the Church is really quite clear about dancing and has been for most of its history.
I used "adjunct" in so far as the Blessed Sacrament was used as a dancing partner, I can cope with "dancing before the ark" or dancing with the Torah as some orthodox Jews do, or even almost dancing befor the Blessed Sacrament but dancing with the Blessed Sacrament, with God...
That is what I have problems with.
As a Catholic Byzantine priest, I could not imagine such familiarity, I tremble to touch, even to gaze upon such a Holy Gift. When I take the Most Holy to the sick I do so with great fear and awe.
I have real difficulty with priests of the Latin Rite who are willing to do what even innocent Seraphim and Chrubim would not dare to do.
Fair enough Fr, I take your point. I'm still certain that this particular dance is a manifestation of devotion rather than familiarity with the Eucharist.
What a great discussion though - it's shown a very interesting fault line. Let's keep praying for unity!
all i can say is respect ,im no scolar but a simple english man ,you pecive god in your heart and soul, the holy monstroce is the holder of god on earth so it should be respected as such with revernce and respect, not dancing ,singing ,or whatever hyms are the old stlye of chants so this is ok but ,you reap what you sow so i say respect the blessed sacrament and give glory to god
When Jesus was on earth he mixed with tax collectors and sinners and, presumably, danced with them too. Here, if we believe he is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, he is dancing with believers. Yet this gets the same response from the Pharisaical mind that criticised him in his time. Sometimes we can over-spiritualise the Blessed Sacrament to the point that it drains Jesus Christ of his humanity. Or perhaps some can't cope with the earthy reality of the Incarnation.
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