A year ago I wrote a very brief statement in response to a question about the Eucharist. After distributing Holy Communion under both species of bread and wine for such a long time here at St. Willebrord, people had questions about receiving only the Body of Christ because of the concerns about COVID and sharing of one chalice with many persons.

      See the following:

Do we receive the full grace of the Sacrament of the Eucharist if we only receive the Body OR the Blood of Christ and not both? The answer is “Yes!” Receiving only one form of communion carries the fullness of the grace of the Sacrament. While it is true that, when possible, receiving both species helps us to appreciate and value the fullness of the sacrifice of Christ, either the Body or the Blood of Christ is sufficient.

     So, if for some reason we could only offer Holy Communion through the Blood of Christ, there too, we would receive the full grace of the Sacrament. The explanation above is valid for both situations.     

     Furthermore, during the last year I wrote about, and spoke frequently about, the value and meaning of the Eucharist. I also emphasized the importance of participating in the Eucharist as a Sacrament, and then living the Eucharist as a sacramental sign of unity and communion in our daily lives. The fullness of the Eucharist is realized only when we live lives of communion, union, reconciliation, and peace. Those “goals” are also “the way.” We must BE “Eucharist to and for one another.”

     Every experience of division, argument, conflict, disunity, and disagreement, etc. must be considered an affront to being “eucharistic.” Unity and peace; reconciliation and solidarity are the ends toward which we must move as a Catholic, Christian, and sacramental people.

     As parents, as children, as spouses, as siblings, as relatives, as citizens, as colleagues, as roommates, as

co-workers, as parishioners, as people of faith, etc. we must be willing to face our experiences of disunity and work toward remedies. We will need to be humble enough to admit our own fault, to ask for forgiveness, and, at times, with gentleness to help others to see their faults.

     What must not happen is attempting “to win every argument.” See above! “Winning” is not a goal of the Eucharist. Peaceful coexistence is a goal that is accomplished through the valuable work of reconciliation. Such work is “Eucharistic.” Let us be Eucharistic together! 

     God forgives! Let us repent!

Peace, Fr. Andy