Conversation Conversations

Week 23 — The Eucharist (The Breaking of the Bread)

"With great desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." —Luke 22:15 (our translation)

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Sunday

"When He had seated Himself with them to eat, He took bread, pronounced the blessing, then broke the bread and began to distribute it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him." —Lk 24:30-31

Conversation:

Jesus: After Pentecost, the early Christians devoted themselves to the apostles' instruction, the communal life, and the breaking of the bread (Acts 2:42). Is the "breaking of the bread" (Mass, the Eucharist) the center of your life?
Receiver: Jesus, I go to Mass and Communion on Sunday.

Response:

Love Jesus when you don't feel like it.

Monday

"Taking the seven loaves He gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to distribute, and they handed them out to the crowd." —Mk 8:6

Conversation:

Jesus: Sometimes you feel depressed because your life just seems like a drop in the ocean of human suffering. You wonder if the meaning of life is meaningful. Bring your loaves-and-fish life to Me in the Mass. I will bless, break, and multiply it. The most ordinary life has extraordinary meaning when I multiply it at Mass.
Receiver: Jesus, if it weren't for You, life would be "vanity of vanities" (Eccl 1:2). Jesus, You're the Light of my life, the Joy of my heart, and my Hope for the future—"for to me 'life' means Christ" (Phil 1:21).

Response:

Love life, death, and life hereafter.

Tuesday

"During the meal Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. 'Take this and eat it,' He said, 'this is My body.' Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them. 'All of you must drink from it,' He said, 'for this is My blood, the blood of the covenant, to be poured out in behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.' " —Mt 26:26-28

Conversation:

Jesus: I said: "This is My body," "This is My blood." I didn't say this is good for My body, has something to do with My body, or is symbolic of My body. Don't water it down or try to explain it anymore. "It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words I spoke to you are spirit and life" (Jn 6:63).
Receiver: Jesus, I'm used to being in control. Your words challenge me to operate by faith and not works. I must focus on my relationship with You.

Response:

Love to be in love rather than in control.

Wednesday

"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

Conversation:

Jesus: When you come to Communion, you receive Me. It's better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). But if you don't first receive, you have nothing to give. Since I have loved you first, the first thing you must do is receive (1 Jn 4:19).
Receiver: Jesus, if I can receive You in Holy Communion, I will receive You when You come again. Maranatha!

Response:

Love to see Jesus' second coming.

Thursday

"For My flesh is real food and My blood real drink. The man who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him." —Jn 6:55-56

Conversation:

Jesus: Pray over these words of Scripture. May they become the center of your life. May the Spirit inspire you to desire Communion daily. May Communion be the center of your life.
Receiver: "Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All. How can I love Thee as I ought?"

Response:

Love daily Mass and Communion.

Friday

"All of us, gazing on the Lord's glory with unveiled faces, are being transformed from glory to glory into His very image by the Lord Who is the Spirit." —2 Cor 3:18

Conversation:

Jesus: When you pray before Me exposed in the Blessed Sacrament, you ought to see yourself. You become more and more beautiful and holy, transformed from glory to glory. That's why I've extended the time of Communion to adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Receiver: Jesus, may Communion always be too short for me. May I always desire to be in Your Eucharistic presence. "Sweet Sacrament, we Thee adore, O, make us love Thee more and more."

Response:

Love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Saturday

"That is why many among you are sick and infirm, and why so many are dying. If we were to examine ourselves, we would not be falling under judgment in this way." —1 Cor 11:30-31

Conversation:

Jesus: You must have a love-commitment to Me when you have Communion with Me. Otherwise, Communion will backfire and harm you. Anything incompatible with My love will convulse in My Eucharistic presence.
Receiver: Jesus, I begin to see how precious being in communion with You is. I commit myself to a "first communion," the first time I've ever had Communion with so much love. Jesus, give me the grace.

Response:

Love Jesus, the Savior, Bridegroom, Lord, and God.

Excerpts from Scripture are taken from The New American Bible, copyright 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.

Nihil obstat: Reverend Robert J. Buschmiller, July 13, 1995.

Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, July 25, 1995.

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