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Holy Eucharist
The month of April is dedicated to the Holy Eucharist. This year, we celebrate Holy Thursday - when Jesus gives us the Eucharist at the Last Supper - during April (17).
Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Eucharist - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The miracle of bread and wine being changed into Jesus happens during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, when the priest, in persona Christi, says the words of consecration. This change is called transubstantiation. While the bread and wine might still look and taste like they did before, the true substance of bread and wine has changed. How can this happen? Because Jesus said so. In the Gospel of John, chapter 6 in the Bread of Life Discourse, Jesus tells us many times that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. He is speaking of the Eucharist. During the Last Supper, Jesus tells us, "This is my body" and "this is my blood." This is not a parable or an analogy, it is a literal change. Jesus is the Word of God, the same Word that God spoke to create the earth and everything in it. So, when that Word says this bread is my body and this wine is my blood, it literally becomes those things.
The Catechism tells us that the Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Catholic Faith (CCC 1324). Which means everything we do comes from the Eucharist; it is our source of grace to get through each day. It also means, everything we do should point back to the Eucharist. The Eucharist, Jesus, should be our ultimate goal.
Ways to celebrate the Holy Eucharist:- Attend daily Mass in thanksgiving of this beautiful gift
- Spend time with Jesus in Adoration
- Watch this video with Fr. Mike Schmitz to help understand why and this one from Fr. Josh Johnson about what to do there
- Attend the Mass of the Last Supper on April 17 (Holy Thursday)
- Eat Vanilla wafers on Holy Thursday to remind yourself and your family about what's so special about that Day
- Read the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper
- Matthew 26:17-30
- Mark 14:12-26
- Luke 22:7-38
- Read John 6, The Bread of Life Discourse
- Check out some of the Eucharistic Miracles that have happened over the last 2000 years