Remember, understand, strengthen Eucharistic devotion

As a priest, I often reflect on that memorable and faithful night when our Blessed Lord “took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19). Remembering is an essential part of our Catholic faith. We are believers by recalling our faith and believing those who have come before us. We not only remember, but we live by and trust in God’s word.

Do we still remember partaking in our first Communion? My first Communion was one of my earliest memories of practicing my Catholic faith. I still remember the anticipation of preparing for this Sacrament. It was an extraordinary realization of my faith to be able to actively participate in Holy Mass. I still recall the day of celebration of my spirit connecting with Christ and receiving his Real Presence.

Some other profound witnesses of this excitement in receiving our Blessed Lord in the Holy Eucharist are our students from Immaculate Conception School who received their First Communion last May. Days after their Communion I joined them for lunch and asked them: How does it make you feel whenever you receive our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist? These second graders surprised me with their answers.

One student said that whenever she receives Holy Communion, she feels very happy because she receives Jesus, and it makes her feel that her sins are forgiven. Another student said that he feels very good, because he feels united with Jesus. And the last one that I interviewed said, “Father, I’m always nervous but excited because I know Jesus will be with me.” Many of the most meaningful things we learn come through the novel perspectives our children can offer, and what they said is true about the Holy Eucharist.

As we continuously celebrate and progress in the Eucharistic Revival, we are prompted again to REMEMBER that the Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian Life. Even little children can help us realize the significance of the Eucharist. In the Gospels, we can read the long discourse about the Eucharist, as real food for our Christian Life: “For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks My blood lives in me and I live in him.” The National Eucharistic Revival aims to restore this UNDERSTANDING and devotion to this great mystery by helping us remember our worship of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We are reminded of who we are receiving as we come up for Holy Communion. It is the Body and blood of Christ. And what we eat, we must become, meaning that if we truly believe that we are receiving Jesus, then we must become like Jesus.

We are on the second phase of the National Eucharistic Revival which focuses on the Year of Parish Revival. STRENGTHENING our liturgical life through faithful celebration of the Mass, this year’s emphasis is to foster Eucharistic devotion at the parish level. There are about 17,000 Catholic parishes in the U.S. Imagine what an impact we can have on the culture at large if each one of those parishes revive the passion on encouraging faith in not only the Real Presence, but in all Catholic teachings.

When we see the faith being lived out by those who are already in our lives, especially by our fellow parishioners, it’s easier for us to follow them by example.

Today, Jesus, himself, in the Blessed Sacrament serves as a powerful testimony that reminds us who we are receiving. In this year of National Eucharistic Revival, let us give thanks for such a great Divine Gift. May we always treasure this gift of our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and may we always remember not to take this sacred gift for granted.

Father Ariel Bautista Jr. serves as parochial vicar in Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale. His column is the third in a monthly series that focuses on increasing devotion to the Eucharist during the Year of Parish Revival.