From the Priestly Newsletter Book I by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
 

July/August 1995 

Thoughts on the Eucharist

The Self-giving of Jesus on Calvary is perpetuated in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the chief source of our growth in self-giving. There follow various thoughts on the Eucharist which can deepen our appreciation of this magnificent gift of Jesus to us:

• “Then he took some bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which will be given for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood which will be poured out for you.’” (Lk 22: 19-20).

• The Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests offers us this vivid reminder concerning the connection between the Eucharist and the priest’s identity: “The sacramental memorial of the Death and Resurrection of Christ, the true and efficacious representative of the singular redemptive sacrifice, source and apex of Christian life in the whole of evangelization, the Eucharist is the beginning, means, and end of the priestly ministry, since all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate are bound up with the Eucharist and are directed towards it. Consecrated in order to perpetuate the Holy Sacrifice, the priest thus manifests, in the most evident manner, his identity.”²

• One of our readers, Fr. Maynard Kolodziej, O.F.M., in his booklet, Understanding the Mass, reminds us of the connection between the Eucharist and the Old Testament Passover. “As the Israelites belonged to the People of God through circumcision, so we belong to the People of God through baptism. As the Israelites shared in the benefits of the old covenant by participating in the Passover celebration, so we share in the benefits of the new covenant by participating in the new Passover celebration, the Eucharist.”³

• St. Peter Julian Eymard, founder of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, gives us these bold words concerning Eucharistic devotion: “How is it that our Lord is so little loved in the Eucharist?

  “One reason is that we do not speak enough of it and that we insist only on faith in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament instead of speaking about His life and His love therein…in a word, instead of showing Jesus Eucharistic with the personal and special love He has for each one of us.

  “Another reason is our behavior, which denotes little love in us. From the way we pray, adore, and visit Him, no one would suspect the presence of Jesus Christ in our churches.

  “How many among the best Catholics never pay a visit of devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament to speak with Him from the Heart, to tell Him their love! They do not love our Lord in the Eucharist because they do not know Him well enough.

  “But if, in spite of knowing Him and His love and the sacrifices and desires of His Heart, they still do not love Him, what an insult! Yes, an insult!

  “For it amounts to telling Jesus Christ that He is not beautiful enough, not good enough, not lovable enough to be preferred to what they love.

  “What ingratitude!

  “After having received so many graces from this good Savior, made so many promises to love Him, and offered themselves so often to His service, such a treatment of Him is a mockery of His love.

  “What cowardice!

  “For if they do not want to know Him too well, to see Him at close quarters, to receive Him, to have a heart-to-heart talk with Him, the reason is they are afraid of being caught by His love. They fear being unable to resist His kindness; they fear being obliged to give in, to sacrifice their heart unreservedly, and their mind and life unconditionally.

  “They are afraid of the love of Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament, and they avoid Him.

  “They are disturbed in His presence; they are afraid of yielding. Like Pilate and Herod they avoid His presence.”⁴

• The Eucharist is not only a very special contact with God in Christ. In Christ we also relate to the other members of the Church. In receiving the Eucharist we pledge ourselves to deepen our love-union with all members of the Body which is the Church. We pledge to use these means which foster union. We determine to avoid that which causes selfish divisiveness.

  The Eucharist also reminds us of our relationship with the entire human family. Jesus died and rose for all. The Eucharistic making-present of this paschal mystery nourishes our determination to assist in the work of ongoing redemption. The light of the Eucharist points to what we should be doing. The strength of the Eucharist assists us to so act in behalf of all.

  The Eucharist, then, possesses the richest capacity to help us maintain and develop our personal relationship with God, the members of the Church, and all other members of the human family. And it will do just this if we surrender to its love, its power, its beauty.

• Henri Nouwen observes: “Jesus is God-for-us. Jesus is God giving himself completely, pouring himself out for us without reserve. Jesus doesn’t hold back or cling to his own possessions…He gives all this to us…‘Eat, drink, this is My body, this is My blood…this is Me for you!’”⁵
   

2. Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests, as in special supplement, Inside the Vatican, p. 181.
3. Maynard Kolodziej, O.F.M., Understanding the Mass, Franciscan Publishers, p. 31.
4. The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom, ed., John Hardon, S.J., Ignatius Press, p. 582.
5. Henri Nouwen, With Burning Hearts, Orbis Books, p. 67.