Fortunately, the heart is not logical. Although it knows that Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil are the highest Eucharistic celebrations, although each Sunday is in itself a Eucharistic feast, as though it was afraid to get into a routine, it rekindles the flame, revives it. Then this burning heart exposes the Body of Christ, adorns it with flowers, shows it to the whole world...

A bit of history

In the Middle Ages, around the year 1200, the faithful were not allowed to receive communion as they pleased. There were special conditions to fulfil in order to receive it and very few times in the year when the faithful could partake in the Eucharist. It is at that time that the priests started elevating the Body of Christ and the Cup of the Blood of Christ during the consecration, so that the faithful could compensate the lack of receiving by looking at the Eucharist! It is also at that time that the first monstrances were used to expose the body of Christ to the faithful for adoration.

The feast of the Holy Eucharist (Corpus Christi) was first established in Belgium under the impulsion of a mystical nun, Julienne de la Retine, in 1246, before being extended to the Universal Church in 1264. For many centuries, on the Thursday following Holy Trinity Sunday, Catholics everywhere organised processions with the Blessed Sacrament in the streets. They so expressed their faith in a pilgrim Church, marching to the Celestial Jerusalem (Heaven) led by its Shepherd.

Eucharist... just a symbol ?

Most of the Christians issued from Protestantism will affirm that the Eucharist presence is just a symbol. But we Catholics believe that it is much more than a symbol. “This IS my body”, says Jesus. He is really present in the piece of bread we call a host. On the other hand, we must avoid to imagine too much of a materialistic presence. The Christ of the Eucharist is a Christ of glory, He is risen. He is present through His Holy Spirit. We are not cannibalistic by eating the Body of Christ and by drinking His Blood! At the time the Gospels were written, the “body” meant the “person”, and the blood contained “life”. When we received the Eucharist, we receive the “person of Christ”, we receive “His life”.

The Eucharistic Prayer... Highest moment in mass

Recently in St Thomas, we started kneeling again during the Eucharistic Prayer. That is because we want to express our extreme humility in front of what is being done in front of us, but also because, in the liturgy, with an extreme audacity, we offer again and again the sacrifice of Christ to the Father. Consider these words that come straight after the consecration of bread and wine in the Eucharistic Prayer nr 3:

“Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him when he comes again, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.”

The Church disposes of Christ as of her own possession and therefore her prayer, as poor as it may be, her intercession, filled with our sinful thoughts and demands, are rich of Christ himself! Knowing that, who wouldn’t hold his breath and feel his heart beat in Christ’s own heart?

Who has the right to receive communion?

Generally, all the baptised should receive communion, as long as they have been well prepared, so as to understand clearly what they are receiving, the person of Christ, his life. Unless they have committed some serious sin, in which case they would have to receive the pardon of Christ in the sacrament of reconciliation. What about ecumenical communion? Well, there are two problems: what is the faith of the other Christians concerning the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and secondly, the partaking into the Eucharist should precisely express our communion.