The Eucharist: source and summit of the Christian life
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
With so many people not believing in the “Real Presence”, it is appropriate to talk about the Eucharist, which is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ: The Real Presence. He is present during Holy Mass, in the Tabernacle and in the Monstrance set out for Eucharistic Adoration, and also in the Holy Communion we receive. Please refer to following paragraph in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition.
CCC* Para. 1374 “The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."
I cannot imagine a Holy Mass without receiving Him in the Eucharist. Lack of an automobile notwithstanding, friends usually assist getting me to Church on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. When I miss an occasional Sunday Mass, when friends are out of town, I always ask myself, did I try hard enough getting a ride? Fortunately the Church cooperates by sending someone to the house, once a week, with Holy Communion. Receiving Him is very important to me. I hope you will also make every effort to go to Holy Mass.
I’ve been a Secular Franciscan for the past 31 years; I’ve also had experience as a monk in an Order that did not last, but the memory of that beautiful time is with me almost daily. The reason is that I live alone, and I live very much like in those five monastic years. It was a beautiful time because I felt His Presence daily. I long for His Presence again but it is a greater struggle to maintain this relationship. The key to keep this spiritual relationship active is frequent reception of the Eucharist.
I hope you will desire to receive Him often too, very often. Jesus is like us in all ways except sin#, so we make an effort to eradicate sin in our lives.
Peace and Good!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
* CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition
See:
https://scborromeo2.org/catechism-of-the-catholic-church
A very useful website with an excellent search bar.
# Saint John Paul II in a Catechisis on Jesus Christ; General Audience, Wednesday 3 February 1988
- "By his Incarnation the Son of God has united himself in some fashion with every man. He worked with human hands, he thought with a human mind, acted by human choice and loved with a human heart. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like us in all things except sin" (GS 22).