Scripture for meditation: John 6:58
“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and died nonetheless, the man who feeds on this bread shall live forever.
Scripture for
reflection: 1Corinthians:11:27-29
This means that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup
of the Lord unworthily sins against the body and blood of the Lord. A man
should examine himself first; only then should he eat of the bread and drink of
the cup. He who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks a
judgment on himself.
Joan Carroll Cruz
tells us in her book Eucharistic
Miracles, Tan Books, 1987: …And
St. Justin (d. 165) declared: We call this food “Eucharist,” of which no one
should partake who does not believe in the truth of our doctrine, who has not
been cleansed by the regeneration and remission of his sins and whose life is
not in conformity with the precepts of Jesus Christ. Because we do not partake
of this as ordinary food and drink, and since in virtue of the word of God,
Jesus Christ incarnate takes flesh and blood for our redemption. We know also
that this food which in the natural order would become our flesh and blood,
being consecrated in the prayer which contains His own divine words, is the
flesh and blood of the same Jesus made man.… St. Anthony of Padua (11-05-1231)
affirmed: We must firmly believe and declare openly that the same body that was
born of the Virgin, which was hung on the Cross, lay in the tomb, rose on the
third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, was given in food to
the Apostles, and now the Church truly consecrates and distributes it to the
faithful…. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) has been called the “Eucharistic
Doctor”… declared on his deathbed: If in this world there by any knowledge of
this Mystery keener than that of faith, I wish now to affirm that I believe in
the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in this Sacrament, truly God and truly man,
the Son of God, the Son of the Virgin Mary. This I believe and hold for true
and certain.
Prayer: I believe
that Thou, O Jesus, art in the Most Holy Sacrament! I love Thee and desire
Thee! Come into my heart. I embrace Thee: oh, never leave me! (St. Alphonsus
Liguori, The Holy Eucharist)
My thoughts: The great Saints make it
quite clear that several considerations must be made before receiving the Body
and Blood of Christ. First, do we truly believe this is Christ? As Catholics,
we hold firm to Christ’s words that this truly is His body and blood. That is
why Holy Communion is not offered to anyone who does not believe in the Real Presence.
It is not being exclusive: it is simply stating that this is no ordinary food.
This is Christ to be given to those who believe it is Christ. Otherwise, there
is no logic in receiving it. Second: are we spiritually prepared to receive the
Eucharist? We do not come to the dinner table in dirty clothes to eat with
dirty hands: neither, then should we approach the Banquet table with dirty
souls. We must examine our consciences,
be repentant and ask God to forgive our sins, and make a good Act of
Contrition. If we have mortal sin on our souls, we must go to confession before
receiving Our Lord. Third, we really must want to live our lives as good
Christians. It is unthinkable that we would take Christ into our bodies and
souls and then treat our neighbors with contempt or without mercy. If we have
asked for forgiveness, we must extend it; if we have asked God to feed our
souls, we must feed our brothers. Christ in us means we are Christ to others.
Our prayer to God: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHKQYFgkcB8&feature=related
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