Everything that Jesus Christ does is out of love and expresses love. He created us out of love, and he died on the Cross to redeem us so that we could share in his love. God continues to invite us into a deeper experience of his perfect life in the Eucharist. He wants to unite us to Himself, to pour his love into us, and to receive our love. Under the appearance of simple bread and wine, God is truly and completely present with us.*
Growing up, I never thought much about the Eucharist or what it truly meant for my soul, but by the grace and love of God, that has since changed. The Eucharist is what makes my soul alive, and it has transformed the way I live and who I am because it is Christ Himself living in me. This mystery is endless, much like God's love- the Eucharist's very substance.
The Eucharist changes everything. Jesus continually breaks for us inside churches throughout the world at every hour of the day. What pain he must feel in the breaking of the bread. Yet, he relives the crucifixion to embrace each of us individually–to enter our hearts and become one and dance together here on earth. The Eucharist shows me again and again that the Lord is never done loving me or you. There is not a moment where he won’t suffer just to get a glimpse of our hearts. He is pursuing you and me, waiting for me and you, always wanting to remain in us.
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"Jesus, in the Eucharist, gives me the grace to humbly join with him in prayer. O my Jesus, may our feet journey together, our hands gather together, our hearts beat to the same rhythm, our souls be in harmony, our thoughts be in unison, our glances melt into each other, and our lips beg our Heavenly Father together for mercy."
The Eucharist represents the gift Christ has given to His Holy Church that allows us to embrace over two thousand years of tradition, martyrdom, suffering, and deliverance. In the Eucharist, which is the whole Body and Blood of Christ, we humble ourselves as Catholics to join in full, public communion with one another to celebrate the Mass. How gracious it is to be given the opportunity to adore and obey the Living God by carrying on His command of the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.
My life has been an evolving search for three things-true beauty, truth, and love. I have found all three in the Real Presence of God in the Holy Eucharist. He is my everything, my focal point of life, my reason for existence, my inspiration, and the very oxygen of my soul. He is also the source of all my answered prayers. One day (as the caregiver for my elderly mom), she was very sick, and I took her to urgent care. They prescribed medicine, which would normally take several days to work. As a Eucharistic Minister, I brought Mom the Eucharist in a Pyx after weekday Mass. Around a half hour later, Mom's symptoms were gone! God's grace healed my mom. Jesus is truly Present in the Eucharist. He is the same beautiful God that walked the streets of Nazareth, blessed lives with awesome miracles, preached the Good News, and healed the sick! Viva Cristo Rey!!
The Eucharist is truly God's love sacrificed and given to us that not only connects us to the physical Body of Christ but also in communion with all the faithful. It is an invaluable source of joy, love, and mercy in my life to know that God desires to be close to all of us in an infinitely intimate way.
- Venerable Servant of God
Fulton J. Sheen
Do you have a special love for Jesus in the Eucharist? The Feast of Corpus Christi on June 11, 2023 starts the parish stage of the National Eucharistic Revival. We are looking for student and resident parishioners who would like to help plan events and activities that will strengthen our parish’s love for the Eucharist. If interested please contact parishioner Jenny Bay, [email protected].
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About the Eucharist
About the Revival
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The 10th National Eucharistic Congress will be in our back yard this July 2024! The event will feature Mass, Adoration, a great variety of speakers and options for breakout sessions, and fellowship with 80,000 fellow Catholics!