Dear Parishioners,
The season of Lent is slowly leading us to the Easter Mysteries. We want to learn how to grow in our love for God – especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist, where we can feel and taste God’s presence and love.
CCC 1397 To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us,
we must recognize Christ in the poorest, his brethren.
The Eucharist can nourish each of us personally, filling us in the ways we need to be filled. In the New Testament, Jesus Himself gave His people bread to eat. Physical nourishment is often a path by which He leads them to spiritual nourishment and greater trust in Him. Jesus provided food for the crowds gathered in the “deserted place” to which they had come in search of Him. He satisfied them not only to make it back to their homes but first of all to make them wonder at the mighty deeds of God. The Eucharist is for us the source and summit of our faith. It roots us in our relationship with Christ.
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “This is why our lives must be woven around the Eucharist. The Christ who gives himself under the appearance of bread and the Christ who is hidden under the distressing disguise of the poor, is the same Jesus.”
Here are six ways to deepen our love for Christ in the Eucharist:
1. Seek Him in daily Mass as well as on Sunday. Consider attending Mass on one or two weekdays. More frequent reception of communion convicts us of our need to be nourished by Him daily.
2. Visit Him in the tabernacle or in Adoration. The practice of spending time in the presence of Christ is a powerful way of growing in intimacy with Him.
3. Pray the Divine Praises. They end with a reflection on our unity with Catholics throughout the world: “May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.”
4. After receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, make an intentional act of communion. As you return to your pew for silent prayer after receiving Him in Holy Communion, reflect on the awesome mystery that Christ istruly dwelling within you. Share with
God your love for Him, and thank Him for His presence in your life.
5. Offer your reception of Holy Communion on behalf of someone else. Receive the Eucharist with a particular person and his / her intentions in mind. This is a way of uniting yourself to other members of the Body of Christ.
6. Think of one concrete way in which you can practice charity after receiving the Eucharist. It can be as simple as St. Teresa of Calcutta’s recommendation to smile at others, paying for the coffee of the person in line behind you, or helping a friend
or family member with a small task.
Have a blessed 4th Week of our Lenten Journey!
Blessings,
Father Rafael