One day, a priest walked into a church in Germany. His attention was drawn to the large bronze tabernacle door. It was divided into four panels. The first panel showed six water jars, symbolizing the miracle at Cana, when Jesus changed water into wine. The second panel showed five loaves, symbolizing the miracle at Capernaum, when Jesus multiplied the bread for the hungry crowd on the hillside. The third panel showed 13 people at table, symbolizing the miracle at Jerusalem, when Jesus transformed bread and wine into his own body and blood. The fourth showed three people at table, symbolizing the miracle at Emmaus, when Jesus manifested his risen presence on Easter night to two disciples. These four miracles for the tabernacle door told the beautiful story of the Eucharist housed inside that tabernacle.
Take the first panel: the miracle at Cana. The important thing, however, is not how Jesus worked the miracle at Cana, but why he worked it. Besides saving the young married couple from social embarrassment, Jesus did it to prepare people for the day when he would change this same wine into the sacrament of his own blood.
Next, take the miracle of the loaves. Once again, the important thing is not how Jesus worked this miracle, but why. Besides feeding a hungry crowd, Jesus also used it to prepare the same hungry crowd for the day when he would feed them in an even more marvelous way- in a spiritual way.
That brings us to the third panel – the Last Supper. Mark describes the Last Supper this way: While they were eating, Jesus took … bread, gave … thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take it,” he said, “this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it. Jesus said, “This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God’s covenant.”
At that moment Jesus gave us a gift that only God could give.
And it leads us directly to the last panel: the Emmaus supper on Easter night with two disciples. St. Luke says in his Gospel: Jesus sat down to eat with them, took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke the bread and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. The Emmaus supper is the first celebration of the Eucharist in the new covenant.
And so the tabernacle door summarizes the four stages in Jesus’ gift of the Eucharist. It was: prefigured at the marriage feast at Cana, promised on the hillside at Capernaum, instituted at the Last Supper in Jerusalem, and celebrated in Emmaus. This brings us to how the Eucharist touches our lives.
First, it is our spiritual nourishment. Just as the manna nourished the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land, so the Eucharist nourishes us on our journey to our promised land: heaven. Second, besides nourishing us on our journey, it also makes present, sacramentally, the real presence of Jesus in our midst.
Recall that before Jesus ascended to heaven, he made this promise: “I will be with you always, to the end of the age”