The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
- John 6:51-58
The greatest gift we have been given as Christians is the Eucharist. Because of this gift, we are able to enter the presence of God whenever we enter a Church. Furthermore, we are not just able to be in God’s presence, but we are able to receive God whenever we go to communion. Think about that for a moment – we receive God. He becomes a part of us and strengthens us. Just as our parents showed their love for us by providing us with physical food, God shows His love for us by providing us with spiritual food. But even more than that, God doesn’t just give us any old food, He offers us Himself as a sacrifice. What an awesome gift which we, as flawed human beings, are completely unworthy of receiving.
Yet how many of us truly appreciate this gift? How many of us simply take it for granted that the Eucharist is just something we do on Sunday because that is what you are supposed to do? Do we take the time to think about what is happening during Mass and what we are receiving? When we receive Christ in the Eucharist, it should cause a change in us. It should change everything about us – the way we act, the way we talk, the way we interact with all those around us. In receiving the Eucharist, we are called to share in the work of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth. We should be striving to be worthy of the honor God has bestowed on us by allowing us to become a “walking tabernacle,” taking God with us wherever we go.
Take some time today to think about how you are allowing the Eucharist to affect your life? What can you do differently? Pray about it and then make a change in your life.