Devotion for today: united to Christ, united to my neighbor

Pope Benedict XVI captures the essence of the word “communion” in this selection from his work, “On the Way to Jesus Christ.” Not only are we united to Jesus when we receive Holy Communion, we are united to each other:

We all “eat” the same man, not only the same thing; in this we all are wrested from our self-enclosed individuality and drawn into a greater one. We all are assimilated into Christ, and so through communion with Christ we are also identified with one another, identical and one in him, members of one another. To be in communion with Christ is by its very nature to be in communion with one another as well. No more are we alongside one another, each for himself, rather, everyone else who goes to communion is for me, so to speak, “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” (cf. Gen 2:23).

A true spirituality of communion, therefore, together with its Christological depth, necessarily has a social character also …. For this reason, in my prayers at communion I must, on the one hand, look totally toward Christ, allowing myself to be transformed by hi and, as needed, to be consumed in the fire of his love. But precisely for this reason I must always realize also that he joins me in this way with every other communicant – with the one next to me, whom I may not like very much; but also with those who are far away, whether in Asia, Africa, America or some other place. By becoming one with them, I must learn to open myself toward them and to become involved in their situations. This is the test of the authenticity of my love for Christ.

Whenever I am united with Christ, I am also united with my neighbor, and this unity does not end at the communion rail; rather, it is just beginning there. It comes alive, becomes flesh and blood, in everyday experience of being with others and standing by others. Thus the individual element in my going to communion is inseparably interwoven with my membership in the Church and my dependence upon her life.

An Act of Love: O my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured.