You cannot live without food, can you? In the same way, your soul cannot grow or bear the fruits of virtue without Holy Communion.
What does it mean to receive Communion? To receive Communion is to receive Our Lord Jesus Christ, truly present in the Host under the appearances of bread and wine. This is the teaching of the Church: “If anyone dares to say that the Body of Jesus Christ is not truly present in the Eucharist, let him be anathema,” that is, separated from the faith of the Church.
How is it that God, the King of Heaven and earth, is present in this Host – so small, so thin, so fragile? Yes, He is truly there. Saint Augustine said that we cannot fully understand the mystery of God’s love for us, but that this mystery of His love is the cause and explanation of all the others. He who is the joy of the Angels and Saints in Heaven, He who created the world and governs it, is truly present in the little Host. He is there with His Body, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary and broken for our sins. He is there with His Blood, poured out to the last drop on Calvary. He is there with His Soul, His Divinity, and all His infinite perfections. Above all, He is there with His Heart, which has loved us so much.
Make an act of faith in this divine presence by saying:
“O good Jesus, who have willingly hidden Yourself under the humble appearances of the Host, I firmly believe in You and adore You as devoutly as I can.”
But why, you may ask, has God hidden Himself? It is so that our love may seek Him more eagerly, as one searches for a precious treasure whose existence is known. It is also to give merit to our faith, which believes what the eyes cannot see. It is to make it easier for us to share in His divine life. And finally, it is because our human eyes could not bear the splendor of His divine majesty.
The Apostles had come with Jesus to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Evening light fell upon the city, gilding the ancient stones of the upper room called the Cenacle. It was Holy Thursday, the eve of Jesus’ Passion. The Master spoke to them of the greatest love: to give one’s life. He spoke of the love of God His Father and of the new commandment He left them: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Then He remained silent for a long moment. There was a solemnity in His gaze, as though it were a farewell. The disciples were troubled. They sensed that important – perhaps tragic – events were about to unfold.
Moved and deeply touched by His words, they felt more than ever how much Jesus loved them and how much He desired to be loved in return. Once again, the Master announced that He must depart, that He would suffer and die. Despite His repeated warnings, the Apostles remained in denial, so great was their fear of suffering. They tried to understand His mysterious words but did not dare question Him.
Then Jesus rose slowly from the table. His gestures were simple, calm, filled with a solemn tenderness. Pouring water into a basin, He washed the feet of each of them. Then He said:
“You call Me Master and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. If I, your Master and Lord, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done for you.”
In this, Jesus teaches us that we must humble ourselves before others, serving them always with love and gentleness.
Having returned to the table, Jesus took the bread before Him, lifted His eyes, gave thanks to God His Father, and blessed it. He broke it into pieces and gave it to His Apostles, saying:
“Take and eat. This is My Body, which is given for you.”
Then He took the cup filled with wine, gave thanks to God, and blessed it. He passed it to them, saying:
“Drink from it, all of you, for this is the chalice of My Blood, the Blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
It was by these words that Jesus instituted the Eucharist.
So that this miracle might continue until the end of time, Jesus added:
“Do this in memory of Me.”
In this way, He entrusted to the Apostles – and to the bishops and priests who would succeed them – the power to celebrate the Mass and to give Holy Communion.
The disciples, troubled and silent, felt that they were entering into a mystery deeper than anything they had experienced with Jesus. The bread and wine had become, on that memorable evening, the sign of His love – a love that gives itself without limit, to the very end. And as the torches cast their dim light, their hearts began to understand that the Master would soon leave them.
After the Supper, Jesus and His Apostles sang a psalm. Filled with sorrow, they went out together and made their way to the Mount of Olives. Night had fallen. Soon Jesus would endure a mortal agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. His enemies would come there to seize Him, to torture Him, and to crucify Him.
The human mind cannot fully comprehend how Jesus is truly present in the consecrated Host and wine at Mass. Yet it is an eternal truth that must be believed, for God Himself has revealed it. God is all-powerful, and He can accomplish all that He wills.
After returning from a walk, little John entered a convent with his mother. There, he saw a nun cutting hosts, prepared that very morning from fine white flour. When he learned that these hosts would be used at Mass the next day, his face suddenly grew serious, then lit up with an angelic smile.
He quietly approached the table where both large and small hosts were arranged and, with deep reverence, kissed one of the large hosts.
“But my little John,” the nun said, “Jesus is not there yet.”
“I know,” the child replied softly, “but He will be there tomorrow morning at Mass, and I want Him to find there the kiss of little John.”
“Why,” his mother then asked, “did you choose a large host rather than a small one?”
“It was to make a bigger kiss,” he answered with exquisite innocence.
John of B. was only four years old at the time. Today, he contemplates the Child Jesus in Heaven, for death took him from his mother toward the end of his eighth year. Sadly, he did not have the joy of making his First Communion before he died, for in those days in France, children rarely received Communion before the age of eleven or twelve.
Yet, without a doubt, God took account of that kiss, which so beautifully expressed his ardent desire to receive the Holy Eucharist.