The Eucharist is: profound, mysterious, dynamic, inviting, beautiful. We are people of the Eucharist.
My boys love baseball and their passion for the game is contagious. So I become fascinated with the game myself and all the life lessons it teaches. We recently saw a great player in his last game, and I wondered what it was like for him to know he was walking out onto that field for the very last time. He had been doing it since he was a child. He loved it, but now it was coming to an end. And what would he give to play one more game or one more series or one more season? But he can't. Sooner or later, all baseball players are told they can't play anymore.
Some are told when they're children, others in high school, some in college or in the minor leagues, and some after a rich and full professional career. The day can be pushed off with talent and effort, but eventually, it will still come. Think about your favorite sport and your favorite player in the history of that sport. What do you think it was like for them to play their last game? What sort of emotion do you think filled them? And what sort of longing do they still carry for the game? These are powerful experiences and emotions. And still, it's just a game. There're things that are much more important.
Avila is a small city in the Rolling Hill country, one hour northwest of Madrid in Spain. This is the birthplace of St. Teresa of Avila, one of the greatest Catholic mystics and writers of all time. She wrote extensively on many topics and often reflected on her love and appreciation for the Eucharist. Here is one of her reflections. "Jesus realizes that we are weak and knows that the laborers must be nourished with such food. Do you think this heavenly food fails to provide sustenance even for these bodies, that it is not a great medicine even for these bodily ills? I know that it is. The wonders this most sacred bread affects in those who worthily receive it are well known."
There is a church in Avila built on the site of Teresa's childhood home. In the sacristy, where the priest prepares for mass, there's a large wooden crucifix on the wall. The crucifix is surrounded by these words which have been painted on the wall, "Priest of Jesus Christ, celebrate this holy mass as if it were your first mass, your last mass, your only mass." Now let me ask you a question. If you could only go to mass once in your entire life, if you could only receive the Eucharist once, how satisfied or dissatisfied would you be with how you participated in mass last Sunday? So this is my challenge for you today. From now on, each time you go to mass, participate as if it were your first mass, your last mass, and your only mass. Imagine you could only participate in mass one more time before meeting God for the final judgment. How would you prepare? What would you wear? What intentions would you bring to that mass? Who would you pray for knowing you wouldn't see them again in this lifetime? I don't know when your last mass will be, but I do know the best way to prepare yourself for that day is to approach each mass you are blessed to attend as if it were your first, last, and only mass. Trust, surrender, believe, receive. We need to feed the spiritually starving. Will you help? Become a member of the International Society of the Eucharist today. We will send you a free copy of 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory, a copy of the children's version, a copy of the limited-edition Journal, which includes an amazing Holy Week retreat. Click on the button below and become a member today. Have a great day and remember, be bold, be Catholic. We are people of the Eucharist.
Jesus, I believe that you are truly present
in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
Every day
I long for more of you.
I love you above all things.
And I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot receive you
sacramentally
at this moment
I invite you to come and dwell in my heart.
May the spiritual communion
increase my desire for the Eucharist.
You are the healer of my soul.
Take the blindness from my eyes
the deafness from my ears
the darkness from my mind
and the hardness from my heart.
Fill me with the grace, wisdom, and courage
to do your will
in all things.
My Lord and my God
draw me close to you
nearer than ever before.
Amen.
Consecrate America to the Eucharist.
Bye-bye.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Come on.
Have a great day.
Hey, Isabel, one simple way to be mindful of God's presence in the world is to know where the nearest Tabernacle is. So while we've got a couple of minutes, I thought we might work on your geography a little.
Sounds good, Dad. You're always coming up with something.
Hey, Isabella, if I was at latitude 35.37 and longitude of negative 119.02, where would the nearest tabernacle be?
St. Francis, Bakersfield, California.