Marian Helper • SuMMer 2024 • Marian.org 21 comes over me. If people only knew Who they were missing! It has been a blessing for me to be part of the National Eucharistic Revival under way throughout the United States. This could not happen at a more pivotal time in our history! The Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our Catholic faith (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324-1327). It’s the very heart, a place of encounter where Jesus is waiting for us, over and over again. It’s reassuring to see people discovering that more and more, eager to deepen their relationship with Him. As one of 50 “official” Eucharistic preachers, I talk about how we need to see through the eyes of children, who see the wonder and marvel in things that the rest of the adult world takes for granted, or finds boring. It’s about helping people re-discover Jesus. He’s right here. He comes in a quiet whisper that has its own thunder beneath it. Jesus is waiting Jesus is waiting for you, at every Mass. He wants you here. He’s opening His Heart. He’s saying, “I thirst for you.” Pope Francis talks about the “merciful gaze” of Jesus. He knows you, and sees you. From the Cross, Jesus is looking at me with love and He’s saying, in a sense, “Yes, you have crucified Me by your sins. But I’ve come to make all things new.” And so it’s like the Child saying again, “Here’s My Heart. Will you take it?” If you haven’t picked up the habit yet, please try Eucharistic Adoration. Adoration is the place where Jesus trains us how to see like a child. But beware: from a modern standpoint, Adoration is the most boring, pointless thing ever. You’re just sitting there! Our minds are wired to scream against silence. The feeling is normal. Just take a few moments to turn back the years, put away the phone, clear your mind. Wade through that noisy storm, to experience something far deeper on the other side. God is present before you in the Eucharist. He is listening. Talk to Him. If you can’t make it to an Adoration chapel, just go to any Catholic church. Jesus is right there, in the tabernacle, waiting for you. Readers of a certain age will recall that whenever you walked or drove by a Catholic church, you blessed yourself, and men tipped their hats. Why? Out of respect for Jesus, waiting inside. He died for us One of my favorite novels is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo — pretty good musical and movie, too. My favorite scene (and a favorite of Fr. Mike Schmitz) is very Eucharistic, when Jean Valjean rescues Marius. He’s willing to go the extra mile, dragging him to safety through the muck of the sewers of Paris. He could have simply left him and swum to safety himself. But no. And the Passion is like that. At any moment, Jesus could have said, “I’m outta here.” But no. He loved us to the end. He emptied Himself all the way to the bottom to drag us out of sin. He sacrificed Himself so we can be free. That’s the reality of the Eucharist. It’s the mystery of the Cross at every Mass, and Jesus is present. Behold the Lamb of God! He’s reaching down, pulling us out of the muck and mire of our sins so that we can be saved. In our noisy existence, there’s still this quiet, gentle whisper. It’s Jesus, saying, “Look here, because that’s where your heart is going to finally rest. It won’t rest anywhere else.” Homework Truly, the National Eucharistic Revival could not happen at a more crucial time. Please tune in and take part! Visit EucharisticRevival.org for details. I’ll be joining a group of Marian priests, brothers, and seminarians at the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 17-21. We hope to see you there! Please pray for its success, and a renewal of Eucharistic love in our country. In the meantime, here’s some homework. Try Adoration. Maybe come to church early and sit quietly before the tabernacle before Sunday Mass begins. Try to attend daily Mass. Talk to your kids about the Eucharist. A family conversation is excellent preparation for Sunday Mass, and I guarantee there will be plenty of interesting questions! Father Andy Davy, MIC, is the director of postulants for the Marian Fathers, based at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. “The Eucharist is the ‘source and summit’ of our Catholic faith. It’s the very heart, a place of encounter where Jesus is waiting for us, over and over again”
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