In our previous catechesis on becoming Eucharistic missionaries, we defined a Eucharistic missionary as one who has encountered Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, received Him in Holy Communion, and allowed this encounter to transform their lifestyle, and their vision of God, self, and the world. With that conviction, they go forth to transform the world by bearing witness to how this personal experience with Jesus has changed every aspect of their life and religious sensibilities. To be a Eucharistic missionary is to live from the Eucharist and for the Eucharist. It is to be united to Jesus in the sacrament of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is to seek Him with one’s whole heart, soul, might, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4). It is to make Him known to others not only by words but by actions (1 John 3:18; James 2:14-26). Moreover, a Eucharistic missionary is called to be a living witness of God’s love and mercy. Therefore, every Eucharistic Missionary must live a Eucharistic life (Eucharistic modus vivendi), discharge their duties in the spirit of Eucharistic offering (Eucharistic modus operandi), and internalize various forms of Eucharistic sacrifice and prayer (Eucharistic modus orandi). The Eucharist, as the supreme expression of Jesus’ total self-giving for the life of the world, should spiritually inaugurate in us a pattern of life that culminates in praxis, a concrete moment of action and service. This is what I call the living Eucharistic moment, a moment to live in Christ, for Christ, with Christ, and from Christ, the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
To live a Eucharistic life is to put into practice all that we believe, celebrate, and receive. It means making the Eucharistic Savior present not only in our hearts but also in our homes; not only at the time we are in the Church but when we walk the streets of Fontana, visit the park in Rowling Heights, work in the City of Industry, care for the sick at Kaiser hospital, and join Walk for Life in Los Angeles. Living eucharistically is allowing the love of Jesus to influence our actions, illumine our minds, and shape how we relate to others in today’s diverse world. We are called to approach Holy Mass as a living encounter, an opportunity to speak to Jesus, embrace His love, accept His forgiveness, and renew our desire to abide in His presence. In sharing His friendship, we invite the Blessed Lord into our brokenness and fears, just as He accompanied the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35). Like them, our encounter with Jesus enables us to transcend our anxieties, insular attitudes, and discouragement, embracing instead an evangelical, heart-uplighting vision as He revealed to the weary disciples: “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24: 26).
To live a Eucharistic life is also to imitate the joyful spirituality of many saints. St. Francis of Assisi, for example, allowed the Holy Mass and reception of the Holy Eucharist to define his identity, his daily conduct, and his relationships. He urged his followers to, “preach the Gospel at all times, and when it is necessary, to use words.” For St. Francis, the power of the Mass and the merits of the sacred liturgy are most clearly seen in how we serve the poor and the marginalized and how we relate to those of the other faiths.
In the spiritual life, what matters most is not merely calling “Lord, Lord… but to do the will of our heavenly Father” (Matthew 7:21). The Eucharistic celebration, when met with generous hearts, should inspire us ever more to approach Mass with joy and devotion. It is the unum necessarium, the one necessary thing that Mary chose (Luke 10:42); It is the pearl of great price for which one would sell all he has (Matthew 13:46). It is the living bread that gives life (John 6:35) and the true source of joy that the world cannot give (John 14:27). When celebrated with enthusiasm, embraced in childlike faith, and lived out with full joy, the Holy Mass transforms lives, forgives sins, defeats the powers of darkness, and writes our names in the Book of life (Luke 10: 20).
Finally, living a Eucharistic life invites us to renew our devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary and to the Saints who model Eucharistic living such as Blessed Carlo Acutis, St. Peter Julian Eymard, St. Clara of Assisi, St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. John Mary Vianney, etc. We are called to ongoing formation in the faith, especially within small-group settings, and to unite personal sufferings to those of Christ, thereby participating in His redemptive work for the world. Likewise, we are sent to accompany those on the geographic and existential peripheries of life, with our deeds, words, and presence. In this way, we tell the world about our compassionate God who longs to console and transform His people.
Rev. Benedict Nwachukwu-Udaku is the Director of Academic Formation at St. Junipero Serra House of Formation