A Eucharistic Reflection for Holy Thursday

"In the Eucharist, the Son of God comes to meet us and desires to become one with us..." - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Today is Holy Thursday. While there are many important scriptural events which we remember on this day, one of the most profound events we believe as Catholics is the Institution of the Eucharist which occurred at the Last Supper. Here is one scriptural account of the event: “Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.’” - Luke 22:19-20.

As Catholics, we take Jesus at His word and believe the Eucharist to truly be His body and blood - we do not hold it to be a mere symbol. I invite you to take time today to meditate on the meaning of this great gift Jesus has left us. Instead of leaving us a symbol of His presence in our lives, He Himself has stayed among His people through the Eucharist! The same Jesus we read about in Scripture is the same Jesus who is present in the tabernacle. He’s just as real now as He was back then.

This is such an awesome gift which we can very easily take for granted. Oftentimes, churches can be empty during the day, and Jesus in the tabernacle is left alone without anyone visiting and spending time with Him. If we really realized that Jesus humbles Himself to become our food in the Eucharist and that He sits and waits for us to approach Him, we would reorient our lives around the Eucharist. The Eucharist is a greater gift than we could ever have asked for; it is not a mere gift but the gift giver Himself!

In my own personal spiritual life, I’ve grown closer to our Lord through the Eucharist. While I am a busy college student, I make an effort to visit and spend time with Him frequently. I often feel a profound peace while being in His presence. I don't see visions or hear voices like some of the Saints may have, and I make no claim to be some great mystic. However, something within me can sense that something is... different... when I am near the Eucharist. Being near Jesus can fill me with a special peace and consolation which nothing else can produce.

Sometimes I’ll sit in a chapel with a tabernacle and talk to Him out loud as I would speak with a friend (For obvious reasons, I only recommend praying out loud like this if you’re alone in the chapel!). It might feel awkward sometimes, but I have to remind myself that He's listening! Looking back over my spiritual journey, some of the most profound moments where I have encountered Jesus in a personal way have been in His Eucharistic presence.

I’ve come to discover that Jesus is not some distant deity who lives up in the clouds and is unconcerned with the lives of His people. I've also discovered that He is not some imaginary friend. He’s really real, and is really present on earth right now - you just have to go to the nearest Catholic Church to see Him!

As we enter into the Sacred Triduum, I invite you to reflect on and appreciate the gift of the Eucharist. If you don’t already, I also invite you to attend Eucharistic Adoration regularly, or to at least visit Him in the tabernacle if formal Adoration is not available in your local parishes. Jesus is still present whether He’s in a monstrance or a tabernacle! He makes Himself available to you - will you make yourself available to Him?

Geo

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament © 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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