going to communionor living in communion?
"The Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread, and after He had given thanks, broke it and said, 'This is My Body, which is for you.' " —1 Corinthians 11:23-24
Jesus' gift of Himself to us in the Eucharist was prefigured by the bread and wine of Melchizedek (Gn 14:18), the Passover meal of the Exodus, the miraculous manna in the desert, and the banquet of wisdom (Prv 9:5). Jesus' coming to us in Holy Communion is so awesome that it is beyond the power of words to express. Yet the devil tries to tempt us into trivializing the sacred reception of Holy Communion. He tries to dull us so that Communion becomes routine lip-service and we're content with going to Mass and Communion only on Sundays.
On this great feast of Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ), let's break out of our rut and love the eucharistic Jesus with passion. Let's ask Him to transform not only the bread and wine but also ourselves. May Jesus' eucharistic presence be the center of our lives as we devote ourselves "to the apostles' instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42). May we become walking tabernacles taking the Bread of Life to a starving world. May He take the little loaves and fish of our faith and multiply them to feed the multitudes (Lk 9:16-17).
Prayer: Father, after receiving Holy Communion today, may I want to receive Jesus in Communion every day of my life.
Promise: "Every time, then, you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes!" —1 Cor 11:26
Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who, for our sake, humbles Himself to take the form of bread and wine. Alleluia!
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Eucharistic Obedience on audio AV 73-1 or video V-73.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 22, 2007
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.