Mrs. Rosalez’s Reflections | August 4, 2024

As Director of Faith Formation, my job description is wide and varied, but one of my favorite things is that I get to help prepare our children to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. They are so innocent and trusting and come on First Communion Day with so much excitement and energy that I just can’t help but smile (and shed a few tears) as they walk up to Father, hands in prayer position, hardly able to walk without running, ready to receive our Lord and Savior: body, blood, soul, and divinity.  And those faces, as they head back to their pew, are pure happiness.  

I remember the day that I was received into the Church.  I was 26 years old and so very excited to receive Jesus for the first time.  I grew up protestant and thought I had been taking communion for most of my life. Once I found out that our Catholic Faith offered so much more than a cracker and juice as a symbol of the Eucharist and instead offered His true presence, I was hooked.  I sat in Mass with my husband each week, just waiting until it was my turn, desiring Him more and more each time. 

Now that I have been Catholic more than half of my life, I find myself losing that excitement and even at times letting my mind wander as I walk up to receive.  Then I get back to my pew, bow down and pray and think, “Wow, how did that happen?  Where did my yearning go?”  Then other times I find myself so connected with Jesus that I come back, kneel down to pray with tears of gratitude running down my face.  These are the times that I feel the graces of God the most, and these are the times that I strive for.  

So, how do I prepare my heart to always receive Jesus intentionally and prayerfully instead of routinely?  First of all, prayer!  Prayer keeps us closer to Jesus, which helps us stay intentional about receiving Him -  especially prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament (and not just a few minutes in passing).  Reading our Bibles, praying over the scripture passages, asking Jesus what He wants us to get from it, what is our own personal message, is another great way to keep us connected.  Participating in Mass fully, keeping our minds on all that is taking place doesn’t hurt either.  

A couple of weeks ago, our US Catholic Bishops offered a Eucharistic Congress, the first one offered since before World War II.  Although that is over and we can no longer attend in
person (I heard great things from those who had), we can watch a lot of the talks on YouTube. EWTN has a playlist with all their videos from the Eucharistic Congress where you will find the full talks from Bishop Robert Barron, Monsignor James Shey, Jonathan Roumie, Father Mike Schmitz, Chris Stefanic, and many others as well as some very inspirational videos of the Eucharistic Procession and other events. Check them out; I am sure you will come away with something new and meaningful.  

This week, our scriptures focus on the manna from heaven that God sent down for the Israelites.  If they can have this much excitement for food that leaves them hungry again, how much more so should we be for Jesus who teaches us that He is “the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”? John 6:35  Contemplate this the next time you are at Mass.