"The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about everlasting peace on earth." - Mother Teresa
Today, I was thirsting for the Eucharist. I had to go to Hallandale, and I remembered that the parish over there, St. Matthew, has mass on Saturdays at 9 am. I had to rush, but I arrived with three minutes to spare. There was a sign on the church door that said that mass was being held at the parish hall. I made my way there, only to find that all the doors were closed. There were two other people in the same situation. We waited until 9:05, but when no priest showed up, we figured there was no mass. I was truly disappointed.
The Eucharist is supposed to be the topic of my blog this year, but the last time I wrote about the Eucharist was almost three months ago when Father Mike was ordained. This summer, I have not written much. I have been juggling a remodeling, a wedding, a few trips, and wrapping some work that I was not able to finish by the time I closed my business. It’s been overwhelming, and I have pushed writing to the back burner.
I have also not taken the time to go visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I would stop sometimes on my way home from the office. But now that I don’t have an office to go to, I have lost my way to the Blessed Sacrament. It takes real planning to fit it into my schedule, and I have not made the effort. And like St. Mother Teresa says: “The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament… will help bring about everlasting peace on earth." No wonder I have been feeling so overwhelmed. I have lost the peace that I find when I spend a few minutes in the Blessed Sacrament.
During the past few Sundays, the readings have been all about the Eucharist. John chapter 6 is known as “The Bread of Life Discourse,” and we have been listening to it for five weeks. This weekend is the conclusion, and it is not a concept that is easy to understand. Jesus lost a lot of his disciples when He said “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” John 6:54. This is something that you either believe or you don’t. And those that believe, remain faithful, but many who don’t believe are no longer part of the Catholic Church.
I recently asked my daughter if she believed that the Eucharist was truly the Body and Blood of Christ. She told me that it was something that she just didn’t understand. I certainly didn’t understand it when I was thirty years old, but now, thirty years later, even though it’s still a mystery that it’s hard to comprehend, I do believe. Just like Peter understood that Jesus had “the words of eternal life” John 6: 68, I believe that just like we need food to nourish our bodies, we need the Eucharist to nourish our souls. And when I don’t receive it often, my soul thirsts.
Since I couldn’t go to 9 am mass, I went to the Vigil mass at St. Augustine. This mass counts for Sunday mass so I don’t need to go tomorrow, but actually, I would have preferred to have received the Eucharist two days in a road.
There was a story in the bulletin that I would like to share here:
“A group of Christians were gathered for a secret prayer meeting in Communist Russia… Suddenly the door was broken down by the boot of a soldier… with a gun in his hand. They all feared the worst when he said, ‘If there are any of you who don’t really believe in Jesus, get out now while you have a chance.’ There was a rush to the door and in the end only a small group remained. The soldier closed the door and stood in front of those who remained, gun still in hand. Finally, a smile appeared on his face, and as he turned to leave the room he whispered ‘Actually, I believe in Jesus too. And believe me, you’re much better off without those others!”
This made me think. If I were to find myself in a situation like that, in which group would I be? Would I have rushed to the door or would I have remained in the room?
Those who believe, don’t leave. Am I truly a believer? Or when push comes to shove, will I be like those disciples who “returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Jesus?” John 6:66.
I thirst for You, Jesus. Please help me to always believe.
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