Centering Our Lives on the Eucharist as Students
“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.” Thus says the “Catechism of the Catholic Church.” If you desire to live a truly Christian life, the Eucharist must be at its source and summit.
In the busy, bustling life of an academic, it can seem difficult—even well-nigh impossible!—to give the Eucharist priority of place amidst the numerous commitments claiming our time. Yet it was precisely when her sisters were busiest that Mother Teresa urged them to spend more time in prayer. How can we center our lives on the Eucharist here at UD?
Prioritize the Mass, every single day. Make it non-negotiable. The Mass is like a daily pit-stop for the soul: without it, how can we expect to finish the race? By receiving the fuel of grace and the gift of God Himself, we are prepared to conquer what lies ahead. It really is incredible to walk out of Mass back into the world, nourished and strengthened to live the day well.
With two Masses a day on campus and many other Masses in the area (Cistercian, Mater Dei, et al.), it is easy to devote 45 minutes of your day to the Mass. Think how awesome it would be if, starting today and continuing until your graduation, you never went a single day without the Mass! How much grace from God you will have embraced!
But beware: it is possible, and much to Satan’s delight, to go to Mass every day and still not place the Eucharist at the center of your life. It is precisely because the Mass is so easy and accessible here at UD that we must guard against this subtle trick of the devil.
When daily Mass becomes habit—part of our daily routine—it is easy to take it for granted. We must take care that its convenience never lessens our gratitude for so wonderful a gift. May the supernatural become second nature without becoming ordinary.
It is a difficult paradox that something so easily done must be made the central and all-important part of the day. How should we go about this?
St. Francis de Sales recommends beginning preparation for Communion the night before. Before going to bed, recall that tomorrow you will receive God Himself into your soul, that He will soon dwell within you. Ask Our Lady to help you prepare to receive Him into your soul just as she received Him into her womb. Retiring in a spirit of preparation reinforces to our minds just how important the Mass is.
In the same spirit of preparation, it is commendable to arrive at Mass a few minutes early to prepare ourselves. Recall the example of Blessed Imelda, who, upon receiving her first Communion, literally died of joy. Let us strive to imitate her unbounded delight, stirring up such devotion and love as was hers; for, feeble though our efforts may be, they are never futile.
How often we receive Him only to walk back to our pew and become distracted by the people in procession, or with our scattered thoughts! Let us instead have an intimate dialogue with Him, welcoming Him to our souls. Our Tremendous Lover abides within us; shall He go unheeded?
Another invaluable practice is to make frequent Spiritual Communions throughout the day. This habit will stir up a desire to receive Our Lord, and orient us towards the Mass as something uniquely important amidst our daily tasks and appointments. It reminds us of the centrality of the Eucharist by making us constantly look forward to it.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen insists that “The altar rail should be a place of exchange.” God gives us Himself and wants us to also give ourselves to Him. Let us make an offering, then, of our freedom, indeed of our whole being. Then, live with the consciousness that the Lord is within you, and show Him forth by your deeds.
Another inestimable practice is Eucharistic adoration. The Church of the Incarnation is always open, making it so convenient to spend time in prayer before Our Lord. In the intimate dialogue of prayer, we come to know and love Him whom to know and love is life eternal. Whether you spend 15, 30, or 60 minutes in adoration, those minutes are well-spent.
One final suggestion: the Church of the Incarnation is so centrally located on campus that we often pass by during the day. Never let one such opportunity go by without paying a visit to Our Lord. All it takes is a minute or less, but by habituating ourselves to stopping and greeting Our Lord whenever we walk by, we will have gone a long way in putting the Eucharist at the center of our lives.
So, is the Eucharist the source and summit of your life? What practical resolution can you make towards that end? Make a resolution, right now, and firmly resolve, with the help of God’s grace, to keep it. Nunc coepi!
Joseph Nichols is an undeclared freshman, interested in Theology, Philosophy, English and Politics.