The Power of Love
A two-word term took me by surprise this week. I had never come across it before. One of my daily meditations used the phrase holy slavery. Initially this sounds so wrong on so many levels. But it is exactly what Jesus frequently told his disciples they must become. I read it yet again this week in Mark 10:43-45. “…whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for all.” And the reason Jesus gave his life for us? Love. Enormous and barely comprehendible love.
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. What a perfect time to refocus our hearts and renew our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. We as Catholics are so very blessed to be able to truly receive Our Lord in the Eucharist at every Mass. We awesomely receive the Body and Blood of Christ into our own bodies! Such a privilege. Such an opportunity for transformation. Such a gift of love.
How do I honor this great gift? How can I be transformed? The only and best answer is to live and show love to the best of our God-given ability.
All we have are human ways to demonstrate love. As inadequate and limited as these may be, they are the tools we have at our disposal. We do the best we can with our words, hugs, listening ears, acts of kindness, food offerings, written notes, etc. Our loving Father gave us the fully human Jesus to show the way. Before Jesus submitted to the sacrifice of his life on the cross, he gave us the gift of the Eucharist. During his public ministry, He taught and modeled how to build up the Body of Christ, of which we are all members. “Love one another…as I have loved you” (John 13:34).
Beginning in 2021, there has been a national, 3-year initiative of Eucharistic Revival in our parishes. It has been described as “Three Years of Abundant Grace and Transformation.” For the past year, since the Feast of Corpus Christi on June 11, 2023, we have focused on accomplishing this at the parish level. In many places, Parish Missions have been offered on this topic. Our priests have expanded on this theme in homilies. Bishop Tylka has been encouraging us in this direction with the Growing Disciples information and events in Peoria Diocese.
Eucharistic Revival should not and must not end with the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in mid-July. Now is the time to make this a very personal and ongoing initiative. Each of us must pray, discern, and live our lives as Eucharistically-Revived Catholic Christians. I, for one, know I need to reinvigorate my prayer life. I can work harder on my personal relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. My love and service toward all members of the Body of Christ requires improvement. With thanksgiving, I can welcome Jesus into my heart-home by receiving Him more frequently and intentionally in the Eucharist.
A Formed reflection this week from Dr. Tim Gray advised me to reset the desires of my heart. Not my own desires--corpus Mary, but rather what God desires for me as a member of His family--Corpus Christi.
Blessings on you for all the ways you show His love. Keep up the good work!
For more ideas on Eucharistic Revival:
https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/post/blessed-broken-and-shared