Amen!

For those of us who have been Catholics literally for decades, we are used to doing so many things by rote (genuflecting, making the Sign of the Cross, saying certain prayers like the “Hail Mary” or “Our Father”, etc.) without even really thinking about them. So, have you ever stopped to wonder why we say “Amen” when offered the Body of Christ during Communion?

First, it’s interesting to note that the word Amen comes from the Hebrew language. The word āmēn, אָמֵן, can be translated as “certainty,” “truth,” or “verily.” It is found in the Old Testament, such as in Psalm 41:13, Deuteronomy 27:15-26, and Numbers 5:22. God’s chosen people have used this word for thousands of years as strong affirmation of something that is believed to be true, especially things involving faith.

The New Testament was mostly written in Greek, but the word “amen” is one of several that is transliterated (used in its original form, in this case, Hebrew). Jesus uses the word “amen” in the Gospels to get his listeners to really pay attention, since he is speaking about something vital. John’s Gospel, in fact, has Jesus frequently saying “Amen, amen, I say to you …” to really drive this home.

Amen is a very strong word of belief. We answer “Amen” to the statement “The Body of Christ” because we sincerely believe that we are about to consume Jesus’ Body. Not a symbol. Not a representation, or a nice idea. But really and truly Jesus: his Real Presence. Our “Amen” means, “So be it! I truly believe that this is the Son of God who gave his life for us and is now before me, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!”

We often are asked to take a stand on matters in life we consider important. Perhaps there is no more vital calling for us as Catholics than to say “Amen!” like we mean it as we receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.’” - John 6:53.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact me at eucharist@stmli.org.