We are now headed into the third year of the National Eucharistic Revival! The theme for this year, which will run from July 2024 to July 2025, is “Going Out on Mission: The Eucharist in Everyday Life”. What this means is knowing and believing in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and living your life in such a way as to be a model for others.
With this in mind, I couldn’t wait to share with you two stories, one I heard recently and one that was shared with me long ago.
A friend shared this with me:
There was a group of special needs children that were being prepared to receive First Communion. The sisters were confident that they could help the students understand that the bread and wine were truly the Body and Blood of Jesus. Some folks were not sure they could accomplish this. Standing firm, the sisters insisted the students receive with the other children.
On the day of Communion, one very anxious mom shared that she was afraid that her son might shout out during Mass, as he had done so in the past when he became excited. All was going well until when, at the moment of consecration, he called out ‘Hey everybody! It’s Jesus’.
Mission accomplished! He had witnessed to the entire congregation that he understood the wonder of the Eucharist… Perhaps even more than some of the rest of us!
The second story is about a little girl who attended Mass with her dad and kept asking when she could receive Communion. “When you are ready,” he would say. She would hear the words ‘say but the word and my soul shall healed’ so many times she wondered and finally upon approaching the altar with her dad said to the priest ‘so WHAT is the WORD!’
Out of the mouth of babes comes the wisdom and witness we so long for!
Wisdom is not a free gift but rather needs to be developed. I would say these two young folks are on the right track and they have been blessed. This week when you are at Mass, think of the little fellow who was so excited to see Jesus as the host was raised. Have we become numb to the fact that we are receiving the real body and blood of Christ? Does receiving communion change my life and the lives of those around me? Is my mind present at the Mass or am I just physically present?
Some important questions to look at in this third year of the Eucharistic revival.
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
