We experience it each week. Waiting patiently in our pew, we move our kneelers up as the usher motions that it is our row’s turn. We take our place in line, shuffling forward in procession.
There are so many things to be distracted by – the shoes that scratch along the tile, the dress that is a bright color, the parishioner who sings particularly loudly, the door squeaking as people leave early – but no, we are determined to stay present to the Mass.
We get to the front and the priest says, “The body of Christ,” as he holds up a consecrated host. Saying “Amen,” we receive the body and blood, soul and divinity of the God of the universe into our bodies and into our lives. Then, we go back to our pew for a few moments before the end of Mass, when we head out to the religious education, errands, brunches, and all the things that fill our weekends.
This moment happens every time we go to Mass, and in that moment, we know it matters. But are our lives affected by this brief, but profound, encounter with Christ? This is God, giving his entire self to be united with his sons and daughters. Reaffirmed in our identity, are we allowing this Eucharistic encounter to continually inspire and sustain our lives?
The third pillar of the Eucharistic Revival’s Year of Mission is “Eucharistic Life.” To live a Eucharistic life is to live a Christian life, one that recognizes that the Eucharist is both the source and the summit of our lives.
In Pope Benedict XVI’s 2005 encyclical “Deus Caritas Est,” he says that “the Eucharist draws us into Jesus’ act of self-oblation.” The way we worship, the way we serve, the way we love – all of it can and should be inspired by the passion of Christ. We are called to holiness and to not hold back, choosing to make a radical gift of our own lives for the good of others.
But is it too much? If I give my whole life, am I giving up the ability to make my own choices and to live my life the way I want? We even bring these concerns into our prayer, such as when the Litany of Trust asks Jesus to deliver us “from restless self-seeking in the present moment” and “from the fear of being asked to give more than I have.”
This process of conforming to Jesus, where our lives are inspired by his passion, death, and resurrection, is hard. We must choose things that are not necessarily what we want to do but are ultimately the right choice – the choice that leads us closer to Christ.
Sometimes friends are going through a tough spot and demand more of our time than we can comfortably give them. Sometimes coworkers are not going to be the easiest people to work with on a team. Sometimes family members present challenges that turn our world upside down. Sacrifice, even for the sake of love, is not easy!
Christ experienced that in his own life, particularly as he hung from the cross. Instead of being consumed by the fear of what we are giving up, we can remember that the Eucharist sustains us as we choose to follow Christ’s example.
The early Church set an example for us, devoting “themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42). The way to sustain the Eucharistic life is to continually return to the sacrament and to find community with fellow Catholics who live the faith and can support you.
As a young adult, I have been blessed to be part of a Catholic women’s group of ladies in their 20s and 30s – single and married, teachers and healthcare professionals and church workers. We meet twice a month, sharing the good, bad, and challenging parts of our lives.
These women know my highest highs and my lowest lows, dropping everything to help in a crisis or to celebrate an achievement. They encourage me to keep living a Eucharistic life and to make the choices that unite me with Christ’s heart.
The next time you find yourself at Mass, lean into your prayer after receiving the Eucharist. Is there something you are holding back? How is Christ calling you to be a self-gift to your friends, coworkers, and family? Where do you find encouragement as you live a fully Eucharistic life?
Katie Yankoski has worked in the Office for Evangelization since 2018 as the Associate Director of Youth & Young Adults. She leads the Sunday 5 p.m. contemporary band at St. Edward the Confessor, Richmond, where she used to be youth minister. Though often mistaken as an extrovert, she recharges on days off by reading and taking on baking projects.