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Prayers and ReflectionsEucharist as Gift in our Daily Lives The word “Eucharist” literally means “thanksgiving”. So, each time we celebrate Eucharist, we share with other believing Christians an experience of giving thanks to God for the great gift of Jesus Christ. In the introduction to every Preface at Mass the priest says: “We do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ”. In the Eucharist we also celebrate the gift Jesus gave of himself to us as “the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation” (1) ... the mystery of his self-gift. But the gift is not just for ourselves: like the disciples at the Last Supper we also are sent. When the priest says, “Go, the Mass is ended” it is a command to go and to share faith, to show Jesus to all those we meet … to share the gift with all so that the prayer of Jesus at the last supper may be fulfilled … “ they may be one” (John 17:23). Jesus shared much of himself at meals … One way to understand more fully the meaning of the Eucharist as gift and mandate in our daily lives is to look at the meals Jesus shared with others. Meals are mentioned frequently in the gospels conveying to us the message that eating and drinking with all kinds of people was important in the life of Jesus and in his establishing relationships with people of different walks of life. Spend time pondering each of these well known stories from the Gospels:
****************** It is not surprising that Jesus chose to leave us this gift, this Sacrament, in the setting of a meal. In the Eucharistic Liturgy, we gather as community and we remember in word and in sacrament what Jesus did for us and what we are asked to do for others. We receive the spiritual nourishment we need to enable us to follow the example of Jesus. Jesus spent his time reaching out to others not only through meals but also through the everyday activities of life … relating, listening, encouraging, caring, sharing, eating together, befriending and so uplifting others. As his followers we are called to do the same. READ this story that shows how simply this can be done: There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He packed his suitcase with Kit-Kats and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he saw an old woman in the park. She was sitting on a bench staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed the old woman looked hungry, so he offered her a Kit-Kat. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so beautiful that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. They sat there all afternoon quietly eating and smiling. When the boy returned home, his mother noticed the look of joy on his face. She asked, “What did you do today that made you so happy?” He answered. “I had lunch with God. She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve every seen.” The old woman returned home. Her son, seeing the look of peace on her face asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?” She replied, “I ate Kit-Kats and drank beer in the park with God. He’s much younger than I expected.” Now consider this true story of a recent happening: The Aboriginal mother of a famous digeridoo player took ill while waiting at a bus stop. A business man waiting for the bus also, moved his brief case and stood apart, eyes averted. The woman collapsed on the footpath and for some time a number of people walked by being careful to avoid her. Finally some Japanese students came along to catch a bus. They went up to her and helped her to hospital.
****************** Francis and Eucharist For Francis, the Eucharist became the deepest source of support of his desire for cosmic peace and reconciliation. What he wrote to his brothers in the General Chapter of 1124, just two years before he died, is just as appropriate for us today:
I beseech all of you,
Pray:
References: (1) Mass: Prayer after the Consecration
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