Holy Communion

Yesterday was the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ.   Many of you probably heard over the weekend something in a homily about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, a core belief of Catholics.  I alluded to this belief in my post the other day when I alluded to disbelief in the Real Presence as an example of a sin against the theological virtue of faith. 
You may not have heard, however, what the specific fruits are of receiving Holy Communion.  Just like receiving the Holy Spirit, receiving Holy Communion produces some wonderful fruits.

1) Holy Communion augments our union with Christ ( Catechism of the Catholic Church p.1391).   It produces a very intimate union between us and Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He abides in us, and we abide in Him.
2) Holy Communion preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace at Baptism (p.1392).  Just like food strengthens our bodily life, Communion strengthens our spiritual life.  Please note that Holy Communion alone cannot give us life (only Baptism and Penance can do that).   However, it can do wonders with the life that is already in us, even if that life is very lukewarm or almost dead.
3) Holy Communion separates us from sin (p.1393).   Like food renews strength, the Eucharist strengthens our charity, and therefore it wipes away venial sins, and preserves us from future mortal ones.  The body we receive was sacrificed for our sins, so naturally, receiving this body will cleanse us from past sins, and can preserve us from future ones.  
4) Holy Communion deepens our incorporation into the Church (p.1396).  By eating His body, we fulfill the call we receive to form one body, the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.
5) Holy Communion commits us to the poor (p.1397).  Christ's body was broken for all men, so when we eat this body, we grow in awareness and love for all those He died for, including the poor.

Our Lord says "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him."  (John 6:56) The Greek word used for "eat"  is trogo, which means to "chew on" or "gnaw on".  Think about how we consume the Eucharist at Communion.  We really chew on the body of Our Lord.  So, Our Lord is saying that we have to chew on Him in order to have eternal Life. 
It is not just believing in Jesus.  It is not just having a spiritual relationship with Him.   It is not just being friends with Him.  All of those are so, so important, but they are not enough.   No, Our Lord says we have to eat Him in order to have life.  
This reality may not sit well with everyone, so why did Our Lord say that?   Why is loving Him and serving others in His name not good enough?   Why do we have to eat Him, as well?  I don't think anyone would presume to know all the answers.  I think it has something to do with a few realities:

1) Our bodies are need of redemption as much as our souls.
2) Christ's act of redemption involved body and soul, and thus, for us to be able to experience the full effects of that redemptive act, we need to have a bodily and spiritual relationship with Him.
3) Christ desires an intimate relationship with us.  Nothing is more intimate than being "consumed" with someone, and them with us.
4) Christ loved us so much He wanted to stay behind among us after He rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. This was His way to do that.

We may not understand the fullness of why we have to eat Him to live (at least in this life), but we need to embrace that this is the reality and proclaim it with love and truth to all people. The Eucharistic Banquet, like the Church as a whole,  is not just for Catholics in name or registration, but for all people.   Our Lord says that if we do not eat His flesh, or drink His blood, we do not have life (John 6:53).    He says this to all people, not just Catholics.  This is one of the hard sayings that Our Lord made in love, which may not be easy for many to accept today, just as it was in His time.   If we deny this statement, and consciously walk away from the Eucharist, or via mortal sin make ourselves unworthy to receive Holy Communion, we put our salvation at risk.  Let us not do that, but rather, do the opposite; run to the altar to receive Communion!  If you need to go to Confession, run to the confessional, confess your sins, receive His Mercy, rejoice that you are able to receive His Body and Blood, and then run to the altar!  All peoples of the world, the Lord waits for you to come to Him!   If you are struggling with belief in the Real Presence, consider spending time with Him in front of a tabernacle in a Catholic church, and pray for the grace to believe.

As Our Lord resides in the tabernacles of the world now, so He resided in the tabernacle of tabernacles, the New Ark of the Covenant, the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  As the chaste guardian of the Virgin, Joseph was the protector of Jesus in the womb.  Now, as Protector of the Universal Church, he guards and watches over all the tabernacles of the world from heaven.  Like then, he welcomes people to come and adore his son.   Let us turn to him and ask for increased faith and devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, both in Adoration, and Holy Communion.

Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin, and Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.