What truly happens in the Eucharist? How can we move beyond seeing it as mere bread and wine to recognizing Jesus Christ’s body, blood, soul, and divinity present in it?
Understanding the Eucharist as alive deepens our faith. It’s not just an object we venerate; it’s a living presence. Though hidden from our physical senses, real operations of adoration, love, and obedience occur whenever we kneel before the Eucharist. These operations happen continually, wherever a consecrated host is present, making the Eucharist the center of our lives.
Let’s delve deeper into these operations below:
Adoration
When Jesus became man, He remained the second person of the Holy Trinity. In the Eucharist, He continuously adores His Father, not just for humanity, but because it’s His eternal nature. God’s infinite love makes Him eternally worthy of adoration.
This is why the Eucharist is the most important sacrament.
When we approach the Blessed Sacrament, we join Christ in His eternal adoration of the Father, a profound and meaningful mystery.
Love
Though “love” is an overused word, it’s the only word that fits the Eucharist. In adoration, we witness Christ’s eternal love for His Father.
In Luke, Jesus often withdraws to pray, reflecting His ongoing, loving communion with the Father—a reality that continues in the Eucharist, though hidden from our senses.
Our best days, full of generosity, are a glimpse of the infinite love in the Blessed Sacrament. When life weighs us down, we can rest in this love.
God created us to share in His blessed life. In the Eucharist, He shares His eternal love, which we see through faith.
Want to understand adoration better and why you should make a habit of going? Read our article on why Catholics go to adoration here.
Obedience
Obedience isn’t always well-received, but for Christ, it’s His joy.
Just as a good workout benefits your body or a kind gesture strengthens a relationship, obedience, rightly understood, is essential. In the Eucharist, Christ continually offers perfect obedience to the Father: “I have come to do your will” (Hebrews 10:9).
When we enter into His obedience in the Eucharist, we learn that saying yes to God is deeply fulfilling. FOCUS missionaries spend time before the Eucharist daily, not as a ritual, but to connect with God.
Next time you’re before the Blessed Sacrament, reflect on this living truth:
“Then he said, ‘Lo, I have come to do your will.'” (Hebrews 10:9)
“All things have been delivered to me by my Father…” (Matthew 11:27)
Additional Resources
Listen to Sister Mary Grace, S.V., share how adoration brings us closer to God.
Enjoy a preview of adoration from our past SEEK conferences here. Ready to experience Adoration in person alongside the Church at SEEK? Sign up for SEEK25 next January in Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City; registration is now open!
For more great (and free) Catholic resources, check out the FOCUS blog. We offer numerous videos, PDF resources, and more to help aid your faith life.
Additionally, try out our podcast, which features talks from our SEEK conference and our YouTubechannel for videos and more!
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