To love is to be united to the beloved and the more ardent the love, the more complete union it seeks. So, is the love of God. In order for us to be united with him intimately, he instituted the Eucharist so that we can be one entity with him just as the head is one with the body, just as the food is one with the one who consumes it. St. Paul says in his epistle to the Ephesians that marriage union is a symbol of Christ's union with his Church, for the two shall be one flesh. (Ephesians 5:25) And the Eucharist is actually our "marriage" with Christ. It is the sacrament effecting the union of Christ to the individual soul.
In this sacrament, Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine gives himself to us. It is not enough for him to become one like us and to suffer and redeem us. Rather, he loves us tremendously that he always seeks to be united with us that is why in an extraordinary method of union, he becomes our food to be completely one with us.
When I was a child, during my birthday, my mother will bake a cake for me. She will choose the finest flour, milk and eggs and mix them and bake them with love. She will decorate it just to make sure that I will be happy on my birthday. Thus, the cake is her symbol of her love for me.
But, the Eucharist is more than that. As human as we are, we can only give symbols of our love. Unlike the cake my mother bake for me, Jesus is both the gift and the giver. He gives not just a symbol of his love but Love itself!
In the Holy Communion, Jesus becomes one with me not only in the soul but also in my body. He becomes part of my system as a digested food. St. Augustine once said that without the Eucharist, the Church would not be perfectly united to Christ. Among the seven sacraments, it is the one that unites us to him in the most intimate way for we receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ in our own body, soul and spirit. As Jesus in the Gospel says: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. (John 6:56)
I have reflected that since I receive the fullness of his being, I also receive his tremendous love. In the Eucharist, I receive the fullness of his redemption. I have reflected that I must therefore not be discouraged by my life of sin. Even though I can say that I am weak and sins ruin my life, the presence of Jesus in me can repair everything evil has done to me. His presence in me can destroy my wickedness and increase my virtues. Like a fountain in the desert, Jesus in my life can wash and cleanse me from my impurities and can vivify and refresh my soul.
I must have no limit in my confidence to him. I must remember that every time I receive Jesus in the Eucharist, I am reinitiated into Christian life. I belong once again to Christ and he belongs once again to me. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
But unlike any corporeal food, Jesus will not have any effect in me once I am not properly disposed or I cannot digest him properly. I must have good faith, firm hope, tender love, humility and submission to his will. Distractions, negligence and sins interfere to receive him fully. Therefore, I have reflected that I need to prepare myself. The more I avoid sin and strive to live in the life of grace, the more I am disposed to receive him fully.
If I prepare myself scrupulously for the coming of a guest, if I take a bath, make sure that my clothes are ironed, and groom myself and put on my best clothes before I meet the guest, how much more for the coming of Jesus in the Holy Communion? Are we taking time to prepare?
If I take time for preparation, I must also take time for thanksgiving. Like any food, we cannot obtain nourishment once we do not digest it properly. So is the Eucharist, there is also a need to digest Jesus by spending time in silence and prayer. Usually in our meals (and I can observe it anywhere), we end it with a long conversation. I seldom see a person who immediately gets up after finishing his meal. He usually sits for awhile to make sure that the food is properly digested and to converse with others. So we must do it every time we receive him. We must spend few moments after receiving him.
The more frequent we receive Christ (of course, provided that we are properly disposed), the more we are strengthen to resist temptations, obtain remedy to our souls and the nearer are we to grace. As I see it, the Eucharist is not just a magic food that can transform us immediately into a holy person. Rather we must receive Jesus continually and patiently. Even though we sin, Christ always gives himself until we become more and more like him.
In the Lord of the Rings, the bread that Frodo and Sam bought with them is a beautiful analogy to the Eucharist. They only eat a little of it but it gives them strength in their long journey towards the Mountain of Fire in order to destroy the ring. There are times that they feel weak but strengthened by the food; they were strengthened to continue the journey.
If we knew and understand the great graces we receive in the Eucharist, we will always receive him. Since not at all times we can receive him sacramentally, we can receive him spiritually at anytime. Therefore, let us make use of the daily presence of Jesus in the churches, chapels and tabernacles. Let us make use of the Eucharistic vigil every afternoon in our parish. Jesus is waiting for us as a faithful Friend, as our good Shepherd, Teacher, Master, Counselor, the man who can change our lives.
It is said that every time, the Eucharist is being celebrated somewhere in the world. While you are reading this, Jesus is being offered in an altar somewhere. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 1:11) The whole world therefore is filled with the blessings of God!
In this sacrament, Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine gives himself to us. It is not enough for him to become one like us and to suffer and redeem us. Rather, he loves us tremendously that he always seeks to be united with us that is why in an extraordinary method of union, he becomes our food to be completely one with us.
When I was a child, during my birthday, my mother will bake a cake for me. She will choose the finest flour, milk and eggs and mix them and bake them with love. She will decorate it just to make sure that I will be happy on my birthday. Thus, the cake is her symbol of her love for me.
But, the Eucharist is more than that. As human as we are, we can only give symbols of our love. Unlike the cake my mother bake for me, Jesus is both the gift and the giver. He gives not just a symbol of his love but Love itself!
In the Holy Communion, Jesus becomes one with me not only in the soul but also in my body. He becomes part of my system as a digested food. St. Augustine once said that without the Eucharist, the Church would not be perfectly united to Christ. Among the seven sacraments, it is the one that unites us to him in the most intimate way for we receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ in our own body, soul and spirit. As Jesus in the Gospel says: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. (John 6:56)
I have reflected that since I receive the fullness of his being, I also receive his tremendous love. In the Eucharist, I receive the fullness of his redemption. I have reflected that I must therefore not be discouraged by my life of sin. Even though I can say that I am weak and sins ruin my life, the presence of Jesus in me can repair everything evil has done to me. His presence in me can destroy my wickedness and increase my virtues. Like a fountain in the desert, Jesus in my life can wash and cleanse me from my impurities and can vivify and refresh my soul.
I must have no limit in my confidence to him. I must remember that every time I receive Jesus in the Eucharist, I am reinitiated into Christian life. I belong once again to Christ and he belongs once again to me. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
But unlike any corporeal food, Jesus will not have any effect in me once I am not properly disposed or I cannot digest him properly. I must have good faith, firm hope, tender love, humility and submission to his will. Distractions, negligence and sins interfere to receive him fully. Therefore, I have reflected that I need to prepare myself. The more I avoid sin and strive to live in the life of grace, the more I am disposed to receive him fully.
If I prepare myself scrupulously for the coming of a guest, if I take a bath, make sure that my clothes are ironed, and groom myself and put on my best clothes before I meet the guest, how much more for the coming of Jesus in the Holy Communion? Are we taking time to prepare?
If I take time for preparation, I must also take time for thanksgiving. Like any food, we cannot obtain nourishment once we do not digest it properly. So is the Eucharist, there is also a need to digest Jesus by spending time in silence and prayer. Usually in our meals (and I can observe it anywhere), we end it with a long conversation. I seldom see a person who immediately gets up after finishing his meal. He usually sits for awhile to make sure that the food is properly digested and to converse with others. So we must do it every time we receive him. We must spend few moments after receiving him.
The more frequent we receive Christ (of course, provided that we are properly disposed), the more we are strengthen to resist temptations, obtain remedy to our souls and the nearer are we to grace. As I see it, the Eucharist is not just a magic food that can transform us immediately into a holy person. Rather we must receive Jesus continually and patiently. Even though we sin, Christ always gives himself until we become more and more like him.
In the Lord of the Rings, the bread that Frodo and Sam bought with them is a beautiful analogy to the Eucharist. They only eat a little of it but it gives them strength in their long journey towards the Mountain of Fire in order to destroy the ring. There are times that they feel weak but strengthened by the food; they were strengthened to continue the journey.
If we knew and understand the great graces we receive in the Eucharist, we will always receive him. Since not at all times we can receive him sacramentally, we can receive him spiritually at anytime. Therefore, let us make use of the daily presence of Jesus in the churches, chapels and tabernacles. Let us make use of the Eucharistic vigil every afternoon in our parish. Jesus is waiting for us as a faithful Friend, as our good Shepherd, Teacher, Master, Counselor, the man who can change our lives.
It is said that every time, the Eucharist is being celebrated somewhere in the world. While you are reading this, Jesus is being offered in an altar somewhere. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 1:11) The whole world therefore is filled with the blessings of God!
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