by Bishop James Conley
It has been nearly two months since the conclusion of the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. More than 50,000 Catholics came together from all over the United States, and hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions – more joined through the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and the internet. It was truly a remarkable Catholic moment in the history of our country.
We also can’t forget that the National Eucharistic Congress was preceded by a three-month, 6,000-mile-long, cross-country National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, where all four routes converged in Indianapolis the day before the Congress began. One of those routes – the western route known as the St. Junípero Serra route – came right through the middle of Nebraska, criss-crossing through all three dioceses in our state. Again, these kinds of events are historical and they just don’t happen every day!
While it’s true and not surprising that these events were not covered by any of the major secular television networks or media outlets, it was nonetheless an unprecedented event and I am absolutely convinced it will continue to bear fruit for decades to come. God will honor the public display of faith, love, devotion, joy and reverence for His Son Jesus, in the Holy Eucharist.
In his homily for the conclusion of the National Eucharist Congress in Indianapolis July 17, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the section of evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization in the Vatican, reminded everyone that the conclusion of the National Eucharistic Congress is really a beginning. It begins the third year of the National Eucharistic Revival, the year of “mission.”
The cardinal began his homily by saying, “Jesus is sent to be given by the Father to others, sent to be a gift. He is not sent just to wander around and enjoy Himself. He is sent to be given.” In other words, Jesus fulfills his mission from the Father to save the world from sin by giving his life on the cross, while, at the same time, he gives himself to the world in the Holy Eucharist, so that he can remain with us on earth until the end of the world. But he remains with us, to be given away.
Cardinal Tagle continued, “the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a gift and the fulfillment of His mission.” So that in the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist, his mission and gift meet. And then he tells his apostles, ‘now you go and do this in remembrance of me. Go to the ends of the earth and give this gift to others, as I have given this gift to you.’”
“The presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a gift and the fulfillment of His mission. This is my body for you, my blood for you. Always for you, for all. Never for me, for you, for all. In Jesus, mission and gift of self meet, the Eucharist is a privileged moment to experience Jesus’ mission as a gift of Himself.”
Did you know that the word for Mass comes from the Latin word Missa? This is where we get the word mission. “It Missa est,” (the Mass is ended ), now go in peace. Go out into the world and become missionary disciples.
But how do we do that in a practical way? How do we share the loving gift of the Eucharist? How do we share it with those who have fallen away from sacramental life in the Church, or those who are not Catholic at all?
Well, first of all, we must love them. We must show them that we care. We must treat them with dignity and respect. We must listen to them, and be authentic, transparent, trusting and vulnerable. This is the only way to win hearts and minds. Without first building trust and authenticity, people will not really believe us.
The good news is that we can all do this. It’s not hard. We are all well-quipped for this mission. Everyone can do this, and here’s how: the National Eucharistic Revival is calling us to “Walk with One.”
What does that mean? Right now, there is someone in your life whom Jesus longs to call to himself. Who is that person? Who is that one person you know who would be much happier and content in life, if he or she only knew and loved Jesus in the Eucharist?
On the Eucharistic Revival website, there is a simple “Walk with One” guide that presents a four-step process that anyone can do. Obviously, not everyone is called to spread the Gospel in foreign lands, or even to go door-to-door in his or her own community. But I think the Lord is asking each of us to step out of our comfort zone and evangelize one-to-one. Who is that one person for you? Who is that one person you can see yourself walking with over the next six months, year, or more?
Go to the Eucharistic Revival website and download the “Simple Guide.” You’ll be amazed at how easy it is. It’s just four steps: identify, intercede, connect, invite. That’s it.
Here they are, in brief:
1) Identify: prayerfully ask God, who is that one person you want me to walk with?
2) Intercede: as soon as you discern who it is, then pray like crazy for that person.
3) Connect: look for ways to walk, hang out, get coffee with this person – and then listen to this person. Let that person tell you his or her joys, hopes and struggles, and share yours, too.
4) Invite: follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and invite the person to something Catholic (adoration, bible study, Mass, confession, a talk, to pray the rosary, to listen to a podcast, read a book or watch a powerful movie, etc.) Then talk about it.
If you’re already down that road ‘walking with one,’ and need the next step, most parishes are just starting up OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) classes; invite that person to attend, and go with them. You can even attend without them, to better understand the faith yourself.
We know that we have been given an amazing gift in the Holy Eucharist. Do we allow ourselves to be amazed at such a wondrous gift? We all – myself included – need to pray for an increase in Eucharistic amazement. Whenever we receive a truly awesome gift, we naturally want to share it with others. We want to tell others about the gift. We want them to enjoy the gift, too.
Lord, increase our gratitude for the gift of your Son in the Holy Eucharist. Help us to find ways to share this amazing gift with others. Give us the courage and the confidence to be bold but joyful. And give us the grace to commit ourselves to “Walk with One.”
