“Encountering Jesus in the Eucharist should be like touching Heaven, and that should change the way we live here on earth!”

Matthew Kelly

The Catholic bishops of the United States have launched a eucharistic revival over the next three years. Pope Francis has made a singular contribution to that effort with the release of his powerful and theologically rich apostolic letter on the liturgical formation of the People of God, “Desiderio Desideravi” (“I have earnestly desired”).

He tells us that his aim is to “invite the whole Church to rediscover, to safeguard, and to live the truth and power of the Christian celebration” as a means to more fully appreciating “the beauty of the Christian celebration and its necessary consequences for the life of the Church.”
 This too must be the aim of our eucharistic revival. A central principle in that rediscovery is that in the ritual passed on to us from those disciples at the Last Supper, we encounter the crucified and risen Lord and are invited to participate in the Paschal Mystery by sharing in his work of saving the world. This engaging encounter by which the risen Lord invites us to share in his saving work is the core of our eucharistic faith, for, as the Holy Father observes: “The Christian faith is either an encounter with Him alive or it does not exist.” 

To put it another way, the Mass is not a representation of the Last Supper, a play acting just to memorialize what Jesus did, much like we do on civic holidays that recall moments in our history. Rather, the Eucharist is a real encounter with the crucified and risen Christ, for, as the Council of Trent reminds us, what is really made present in the Eucharist as we participate in it is Christ’s victory and triumph over death. 

Cardinal Blase Cupich

The eucharistic revival began on the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 19, 2022 with the Diocesan Revival. This period lasted through June 11, 2023 as we next entered the Parish Revival – which will then lead to the 10th National Eucharistic Congress from July 17-24, 2024 hosted in Indianapolis, Indiana. It will be the first National Eucharistic Congress held in 83 years! Having enkindled a missionary fire in the hearts of the American faithful, the Holy Spirit will send us out on mission to share the gift of our Eucharistic Lord as we enter the universal Church’s jubilee year in 2025!

Many Catholics can attest – Nothing will transform your life quite like a personal encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist.

When we encounter Jesus, he changes us in powerful and unexpected ways. He heals us, brings us peace and clarity, models how to relate with others, and teaches us the lessons we need to learn to navigate the everyday situations of our lives. In the Eucharist we meet with the same Jesus who healed the blind, forgave sins, and rose from the dead.

The same Jesus!

Our Parish is blessed to have a 24 hour Adoration Chapel. Every hour, committed adorers throughout our Diocese arrive to spend at least one hour in adoration before Our Lord. Jesus is never left alone.

Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?“

Matthew 26:40

My committed day is each Thursday morning from 10 until 11 and I spiritually hunger for that particular time each week, to be face to face with my Savior.

If you are not Catholic this experience may not be quite the same. You may find it difficult to relate to its power and importance. You’re not alone! Matthew Kelly once wrote:

For most of Jesus’ public life people crowded around him. If he was teaching in the synagogue, they crowded around him. If he was walking in the street, they crowded around hi. If he was having a meal in a home, they crowded around him.

But there were two times when people fled from Jesus.

The obvious one was after his arrest and crucifixion. Where were all the crowds that had followed him? Where were all those people who witnessed his miracles? Where were all the people he had cured and fed? Nowhere to be found.

The other time people fled from Jesus was when he spoke to them about the Eucharist. He said, “I am the bread of life…Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:48, 53)

Immediately after this, we read in the Gospel: “When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a difficult teaching: who can accept it?” (John 6:60)

And a few lines later we read, “After this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:66)

There are a lot of things I love about being Catholic, but at the top of the list is the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is at the core of our faith.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving, I hope to share in the upcoming weeks a few life-changing reflections, from others, about Jesus truly present in the Eucharist & how He has been made wonderfully present in their lives.

The world needs the healing and hope only Jesus can provide. He is waiting in the Eucharist to transform families, Churches, communities, and the culture as a whole. And all of that begins with our own life changing encounter with him…today!

Before I close this post I’m eager to share with you a few photos I took while in our adoration Chapel. I pray as you look at them you too may remember His great protection, whenever you trust in Him and in His Word.

Notice the light’s reflection off of the tabernacle – surrounding the Crucified Christ?

There are 71 instances of Shield in the Bible.

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Gen 15:1

You are to place the ark of the testimony in it and shield the ark with the special curtain. Exodus 40:3

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. Psalm 7:10

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5

What does that mean to you?

hugs n’ blessings to all those accepting the invitation to encounter the life-giving presence of Jesus in the Eucharist!