Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity

INTRODUCTION

The Eucharist unites us and gives us the grace to live in communion with one another. This sacrament unites us first of all with God, then with one another: that is why it is a sacrament of unity.

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“The loaf of bread is one; we, though many, are one body…” (1 Cor 10:16-17)

With these words, we begin to understand the importance of the Eucharist as the sacrament that allows us to grow, making the Church the home and school of communion. What is the Eucharist? It is the sacrament that unites us with God and with one another.

It makes us one with the body of Christ, the Church. Chiara Lubich explains the link between the union with God (as in the Eucharist) and the love of neighbor. “The more the love of neighbor grows, the more the love of God grows in us as well.” She explained that: “We have an inner life as well as an external life. Our inner life is nourished by our external life. To the extent that I enter into the heart of my neighbor, that much I enter into God within me; to the extent that I enter into God within me, that much I enter into my neighbour.”

The great impact of the Eucharist is to experience the immense love of God. It is like God wants to share our daily lives. It is also to do every act of the day as an offering to Jesus within us and among us, giving much grace and light to live joyfully through our sufferings and struggles.

With the breakout of the Covid-19 pandemic, most of us Christians miss receiving Holy Communion daily. However, the online streaming of the Holy Mass has in fact created and generated thousands, if not millions, of home churches in the world; and the spiritual communion prayer made people feel like they have received Jesus in the consecrated host in the Blessed Sacrament.

My husband was sick for an extended period and so we requested our parish priest if he can receive Holy Communion daily at home. A lay minister who was very caring and faithful was assigned in bringing the Eucharist daily to our home for several months. The daily gift of the Eucharist gave my husband such joy, peace of mind and consolation.

One time, I had the privilege of visiting a country where Catholic churches were rare. My tour guide brought me to the church of another denomination. The pastor was an excellent preacher.

However, there was no Holy Communion. I prayed the rosary, asking Jesus and Mary to give the gift of the Eucharist to all Christian denominations so that Jesus can help hasten His wish: “Father, may they all be one as you and I are one.”

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