Inside the heart of a priest: What the Eucharist means to me.

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Gospel: Mark 14: 12-26

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
Jesus’ disciples said to him,
“Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”‘
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there.”
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.
While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, gave it to them, and said,
“Take it; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
“This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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I converted to Catholicism during my second year in college. 

I wasn’t raised with much religion – I was baptized a Christian, but only went to church a handful of times afterwards.

I remember soul searching as a teenager, though, asking some of life’s bigger questions: 

“Is there a God? Why is there evil? Why are so many born into poverty and violence? If God exists, does he know me? Does he have a plan for my life?” 

Back then, my aunt attended a non-denominational mega church, so I reached out to her and asked her to take me. That became my only experience of Christianity until I reached Seton Hall University.

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In college, I went to Mass for 100 Sundays, often sitting in the last pew, wondering what all of these Catholic gestures meant. 

Why was there so much sitting, standing, kneeling, and responding? It seemed strange to me. 

Then there was the Eucharist.

I remember clearly saying to myself, “That’s either Jesus or it is not. If it is, then I must have Him.” 

But how would I know the difference?

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I started reading the bible from cover to cover. 

All of the miracles Jesus performed – from the multiplication of the loaves to the raising of Lazarus – pointed towards this pivotal moment. If the Lord could turn water into wine, then why could he not turn wine into his Precious Blood?

After all, the focus of Jesus’ ministry was healing people. It only makes sense that on the last night of his life on earth, he’d want to give us the only thing he had left: his Body and Blood. 

His presence in our lives would be forever assured.

John’s Gospel makes this clear. 

In chapter 6, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life…whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Dictionaries have been written over the centuries explaining why we believe this – why the Eucharist is the Promised Presence of Christ. 

But instead of delving into theology, allow me to share why Eucharist is so meaningful to me. And, perhaps, why it may be so meaningful to you.

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Each morning at Mass as I approach the altar and place the host in my hand, Christ repeats those sacred words through me, “This is my Body…This is my Blood.”

 While it is he offering himself for us, I take that moment as an invitation to offer myself for you, as well.

In the silence of my heart, I pray in union with the Lord, saying, “This is also my body, my heart, and my life given up for this community of faith.” 

Every homily written, every Mass, every baptism, wedding, or funeral celebrated is my way of giving myself up for you. 

It’s how I participate in Christ’s command, “Do this in memory of me.”  

Strangely enough, giving myself away has only increased my sense of purpose, my inner peace, and overall happiness in life. 

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Haven’t we all answered that command to some extent?

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Think about all of the tiny sacrifices we make for one another throughout the day, allowing us to say with the Lord, “This is my body, this is my blood, this is my time, my heart, my life given up for you.”

We answer that call for our family members.

I think of pregnant mothers who share their bodies with their unborn children; young parents who sacrifice sleep and sanity to raise their children; parents who never miss a sports game or school ceremony; others who care for elderly parents or a spouse.

We answer the call within our community.

Think of the volunteers who run our parish soup kitchen; those who stand at the door and greet; those who teach in our CCD program; those who serve on staff; and those who are helping to rebuild our parish ministries.

I think of the countless frontline medical workers, fire fighters, police officers, and members of our military who risk their lives every day for our safety.

The examples are endless, but the call is the same. In the words of Saint Augustine: “Become what you are: the Body of Christ.”

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In what ways do I answer the call to become like Christ, offering myself for others?

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On this Feast of Corpus Christi, may we all unite ourselves to Him, who first loved us and gave himself for us.

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Image credits: (1) The Sacrament of the Last Supper, by Salvador Dali @ National Gallery of Art (2) The Last Supper, by Leonardo DaVinci (3) Father Kevin Kilgore, St. Catherine of Siena (4) The Skit Guys