The Eucharist as the way back home

Being away from home is never easy.  Whether it be for a work trip, college, or even while travelling – there is always something within us that loves home and wants to return to it.

In a home there is a sense of familiarity, knowing that one is safe, secure and loved.  There are sights, sounds and people that remind you of  it and when you sense it, you know you belong.

When the rich young man approaches Jesus in Matthew 19:16, he asks a question that has endured through time, “What good must I do to attain eternal life?”

In other words, the young man is asking Jesus: “How do I get to Heaven? How do I get to spend the rest of eternity with you, Jesus? What will it take to get back home?”

He’s asking Jesus how to get back home – back home into the arms of the Father where every tear is wiped away and every hope is fulfilled.  The rich young man is asking Jesus to tell him the route to Heaven and Jesus responds by saying “Go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21).  Jesus gives the young man a radical call to give up everything that he knew previously, his plans, his aspirations, and to place them in the hands of Jesus,  to live a life that says Jesus alone is enough for me.

When we encounter the Eucharist, whether it be during Holy Mass or a time of adoration, we encounter Jesus fully present, and He says the very same thing to us: come, follow me.  In the Eucharist, Jesus reveals to us our own condition as well as our calling (John Paul II, 1993, Veritatis Splendor, 8 ).  By drawing near to Jesus in the Eucharist, we see the fact that God has drawn close to us first and that only with Him do we find our true home.  When we encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, we are faced  with our master, creator and  most dear friend.  The words “Come, follow me” begs us to respond and this can never be just a shallow answer.  Rather, this call from Jesus demands that we become a disciple and that asks everything of us.  In short, Jesus asks us to live as He lived and love as He loved.

When we do, we begin follow Jesus on the path home to Heaven.

An encounter with the Eucharist allows us to live a transformed life infused with grace. A  life that isn’t of this world because it’s a life that’s pointed to the world to come, and  inspires hope that nothing on earth can take away.  The Eucharist reminds us that, although this world is beautiful and that we should savor this journey, we can’t forget our destination.

That begins with little steps. Spending a few moments a few times a week or even every day in front of the Blessed Sacrament in your local church. Taking a moment of quiet prayer after Mass to give thanks to God for the many blessings in your life and to ask for His help in the areas that are difficult.  With those little steps, the journey of a lifetime begins and you’ll do it with Jesus leading the way.

No matter where we are in the world, if we can begin to spend some time with Jesus in the Eucharist we are on the path of finding our way home to Heaven.

Father Jose Manuel Lim is currently studying at the Pontifical North American College, Vatican City State, Europe.