The Holy Eucharist is a profound mystery, the marvelous sacrifice of Jesus, who gives Himself fully to us in the form of bread and wine. It is the primary proclamation of the love of Christ. God’s love transforms bread into His Body and wine into His Blood, which is the ultimate nourishment for our soul and body.
In this Holy Sacrifice, the altar is the very meeting place where the Living God offers Himself to His Father for our sake. Indeed, we are ought to pray and offer Holy Masses for those in need because the effects are beyond our understanding. It is the heart of the Gospel, which is the core of our life.
What can bring us greater peace than to draw near to our Lord in the Holy Eucharist? Jesus Himself instituted the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday during the Last Supper with His disciples and continued His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary.
In my childhood, I learned from my grandma, Sarah, how to adore the Eucharistic Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Every Holy Thursday, I remember accompanying her to St. Francis Xavier Church, where, despite being in her 60s, she knelt down and prayed before the Most Blessed Sacrament for hours. I knelt with her and prayed.
I’m sure you have your own stories of how you grew to love the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is happy to hear from his children who repeat the following words from their hearts. “Jesus, I love you, and I adore you!”
In the New Testament, the Gospel of St. John (6:51) says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” Jesus Himself made this solemn revelation, freely giving His body and blood for the remission of our sins. The Heavenly Bread, which is Jesus Christ, satisfies the deepest longing of our hearts. Jesus is present in the form of bread in all tabernacles throughout the world. Therefore, whenever we see a church, convent, or monastery while traveling, make the sign of the cross and bless yourself because Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament. Consecrated men and women are living under the roof of Blessed Sacrament: how blessed they are!
We should examine of our conscious. Are we receiving Jesus in Holy Communion with awe and adoration? Do we talk to him like friend to whom we say everything?
St. Faustina Kowalska, known as the apostle of Divine Mercy, received many private revelations from Jesus. One of them is, “When I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul, but souls do not even pay attention to Me. They leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things … They treat Me as a dead object” (St. Faustina’s Diary,1385).
Let me repeat it: My hands are full of all kinds of graces that I want to give to the soul. After receiving Jesus in our hearts, he is coming in our soul as a person with many spiritual gifts. If a friend or family member were to visit your home, how would you treat them? You would make them feel at home. Here, Jesus is coming into our soul we should give him a warm welcome.
Consider Him more than a friend: He is our creator who knows all about us. He comes in the form of bread to nourish us and give us life. Holy Communion is the treasury of all graces. We need to receive Him with awe and adoration and console Him with our love.
There are hundreds of saints who had special love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. St. Clare of Assisi, often depicted holding the Blessed Sacrament in her hands. She and her sisters lived in the enclosure of the monastery. Once, when an army of soldiers arrived to attack Assisi, St. Clare — while very ill — went out to meet the soldiers with the Blessed Sacrament in her hands. She placed the Blessed Sacrament on the wall for the invaders to see and fell to her knees and begging to God to save her sisters. The attackers were filled with fear and fled from the town without harming anyone. They were protected by the shield of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Pope Francis told members of the committees organizing the National Eucharistic Revival and the National Eucharistic Congress in the United States, “The Eucharist impels us to a strong and committed love of neighbor. For we cannot truly understand or live the meaning of the Eucharist if our hearts are closed to our brothers and sisters, especially those who are poor, suffering, weary or may have gone astray in life.” (June 19, 2023).
Now I would like to suggest some practical, simple tips for loving Jesus more closely in your everyday life.
1.Keep the presence of God by repeating: Jesus, I love you and I adore you!
2. Whenever you see a church, convent, or monastery while traveling, make the sign of the cross and bless yourself because Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament.
3. Make the sign of the cross when you wake up, before starting your car, over your phone, your laptop, before beginning work, and when you go to bed. We are redeemed by the crucifixion of our Lord, and the sign of the cross is a powerful symbol of victory against all evil.
4. Perform kind deeds for others. Jesus said, “When you did the least for your brethren, you did it for me.”
5. Keep holy water in your home or in your vehicle while you drive and use it often.
6. Try to find some time every week, perhaps on Thursdays, to come and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The time you spend with Jesus will be recorded in heaven.
7. Share your faith with others and be a testimony of Jesus, the Savior of all.
8. Offer Holy Masses for the living and deceased from your family and the abandoned.
As Pilgrims of Hope, especially during this Jubilee Year, we are obliged to journey with poor people who are lonely, abandoned, hungry, marginalized and refugees. Let us give hope to our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than us! Ultimately, Jesus is our priceless hope.
On behalf of missionary priests, I would like to thank you to all donors who are sending Holy Mass requests and stipends to Missions Office. We receive numerous requests for Mass stipends from many missionary priests. The benefits of a Mass by a missionary priest are far-reaching!
Even though we may not able to go to all nations to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we can help missionaries and the work they do on behalf of the Church in the remote places of the earth. Have a Mass celebrated by a missionary priest for your loved ones and friends. In fact, you would be doubling your gift since Mass stipends are a critical means of support in helping missionary priests with their mission and pastoral needs. It is a gift that is valuable beyond this life — to the next life — eternity!