Go Deeper, Grow Closer
Before reading on, I ask you to please pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you give us your flesh and blood for the life of the world, and you desire that all people come to the Supper of the Sacrifice of the Lamb. Renew in your Church the truth, beauty, and goodness contained in the Most Blessed Eucharist.
Jesus living in the Eucharist, come and live in me.
Jesus healing in the Eucharist, come and heal me.
Jesus sacrificing yourself in the Eucharist, come and suffer in me.
Jesus rising in the Eucharist, come and rise to new life in me.
Jesus loving in the Eucharist, come and love in me.
Lord Jesus Christ, through the paschal mystery of your death and resurrection made present in every Holy Mass, pour out your healing love on your Church and on our world. Grant that as we lift you up during this time of Eucharistic Revival, your Holy Spirit may draw all people to join us at this Banquet of Life. You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Eucharist, Pray for us.
- EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL PRAYER, Most Rev Andrew Cozzens
The Eucharist truly is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and because that is true but so many seem to not know it or to have forgotten it, the Catholic Church in America has been building toward the Eucharistic Congress held this past week for several years as the climax, not culmination, of the Eucharistic Revival called for by our Bishops and which began on the Feast of Corpus Christi, 2022. If the Congress is now over, why am I writing about it today? Because even though the gathering in Indianapolis has now concluded, it’s not really over, there’s still time to go deeper and grow closer to Him. Our need for and love of the Eucharist, the Source and Summit of the Christian life, can and should make this revival on-going in our hearts and communities indefinitely.
You might be thinking, “Great, but I feel like I’m behind the curve on this. What can I do, this late in the game, to jumpstart my relationship with Jesus in His Eucharistic Presence?” If you’re reading this then you’re probably already a weekly Mass attendee, in other words, you are at Mass each Sunday (or Saturday evening), but if you aren’t making it to Mass every week, start there. Begin forming a habit of Sunday Mass (remember, though, that we need to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation if we’ve missed Mass without just reason before receiving Communion – that doesn’t mean don’t go to Mass, but simply to refrain from the Eucharist until you’ve gone to Confession). This isn’t a Fr. Chas rule or a Bishop Boyea rule; heck, it isn’t even a Church rule, really; ultimately, Sunday Mass is God’s rule. It’s number three in the list of ten that He gave to Moses. So, want to go deeper and grow closer to Jesus in the Eucharist? Come to Mass.
Now you’re thinking, “Awesome! I’m already coming to Sunday Mass!” That’s fantastic! How about Eucharistic Adoration? We are blessed to have an (almost) Perpetual Adoration Chapel on our St. Joseph property that you are welcome to take a regular hour at or drop in for visits when you are able. Nothing pushes us to go deeper and grow closer to Him quite like having a recurring hour scheduled with Him on our calendars.
“Woo hoo! I go to Mass every week and I already have a regular Adoration hour! I’m all set!” Ah, yes, Rich Young Man, you would seem to be doing great, and no doubt you are, but we can always go deeper, grow closer, step out a little more. Consider starting to attend more of the great options right here at the parish. Over the summer we are offering Stations of the Eucharist, which walks through the Bible and looks at the different events, people, and things that point toward Jesus in the Eucharist in a prayerful & reflective way. In the fall, we have open formation opportunities on most Wednesday nights covering a variety of topics. There are small groups to get involved with, Bible studies, prayer teams, and more! Keep an eye on the bulletin for ads of what’s coming up, grab a friend (cuz nobody wants to go alone, I might not know anybody there and that would just be awkward) and show up for a class, an event, a study, some prayer time….whatever piques your interest or maybe challenges you a little bit, but show up. Go deeper and grow closer through the parish family that Christ has placed you in, right here and right now.
In closing, consider this thought (attributed to St. Teresa of Calcutta and quoted in the USCCB document The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, #55): “Once you understand the Eucharist, you can never leave the Church. Not because the Church won’t let you but because your heart won’t let you.” Amen, St. Teresa, Amen!