The heart of the Eucharist

Seventh Sunday of Easter – C

The Easter season invites us to deepen our grasp of the paschal mystery and make it part of our lives. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults gives us four ways to do this: through meditation on the Gospel, sharing in the Eucharist, and doing works of charity together as a community (244). Much of our work as music and liturgical ministers focuses on preparing the Eucharist. Let us consider, however, how the Eucharist prepares us to live the paschal mystery of Christ and make it part of our being.

The heart of the Eucharist is offering praise to the Father in Christ through the Spirit. Even at the brink of death, both Stephen and Jesus in today’s readings praised God. Praise of the Father is not dictated by our feelings but is the central orientation of our life as Christians.

That stance of ongoing thanksgiving leads us to the high point of the Eucharist—sharing the body and blood of Christ. This is more than nourishment; it is our public commitment to offer ourselves completely to the Father for the sake of the world in imitation of Jesus.

Not all are called to the path of the martyrs. But all of us, by sharing in Communion, are called to die to ourselves each day that Christ might live more fully in us.

This post was first published in “GIA Quarterly: A Liturgical Music Journal.”

Image credit: Photo by m.kucova.

Read more reflections on the Sunday readings here:

• Prune our hearts
• Heed and follow
• New life in Christ
• Now what?
• We are Loved and Longed For