Do You Recognize Jesus?

Ellen Mongan shares the story of a comforting moment of realization of the presence of God.

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him,” said Mary of Magdala (John 20:2)

She stood gazing at the empty tomb, perplexed and distraught. She felt abandoned.

I will never forget the day the churches closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jesus, the life for my soul, was taken away. I wept. Going to our priest with tears in my eyes and a broken heart, I tried to explain as I sobbed. “Father, I do not understand: why did they take away our Jesus? The nuns taught us that Jesus feeds our souls, and I believe this with all my heart. We need Him.” Like the women at the tomb, I was distraught and perplexed. They had taken away my Jesus, I repeated to myself, and questioned, “Why?”

God did a work in my soul. I wept for those who knew Jesus was present in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, yet could not receive Him. I cried for those who did not know that He was really present in the Eucharist. Jesus saw my heart and, in time, opened a way to receive Him.

I often find myself going back to that memory where my heart longed to receive Jesus into my soul. When I begin to take Jesus for granted or skip daily Mass, I remind myself how much I need Jesus to feed my soul. While on earth, Jesus was present to His disciples, yet they did not recognize who really was until the Resurrection and Pentecost. Even after His resurrection, two disciples did not recognize Him as they walked to Emmaus. Mary Magdala did not recognize Him at the tomb, and Peter did not recognize Him by the shore. When Jesus spoke a word to their soul, then they recognized Him. Do you recognize Jesus?

20231005 EMongan 4

A long time ago, I came across a book, A Child's Garden of Virtues: Stories About Virtues by Teresa Harper, which I had put in my prayer bag to read. As I opened the book, I noticed a note signed by the author: “Yours in Christ, Teresa Harper, John 6:56.” I said, “Jesus I never noticed that before.”  I had received the book from a friend in 1996, a time in my life when I was too busy mothering to read it. The Holy Spirit prompted me to look up that Scripture verse. It reads,

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” (John 6:56)

I was taken aback, as I always am, when the Spirit of God moves in my heart. You see, God alone knew that I had been seeking Him to confirm the Real Presence of Our Savior Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. I always believed in faith.

Now I had a blessed assurance.

Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29)

To my amazement, God used my sister Teresa, now truly yours in Christ, to answer that prayer. What Teresa Harper wrote in 1996 was my answer on January 26, 2010. God’s timing is always perfect!

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When I was living in Florida, isolated from family and friends, I complained to my husband, “I am lonely!”

Wisely my husband would respond with, “Honey, you have Jesus.”

I replied, “I do have Jesus, but I need Jesus in people!”

“Do you recognize Him?” Do you recognize Him in the breaking of the bread, in the Word of God, in the people?

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Do you recognize Him in the breaking of the bread, in the Word of God, in the people? #CatholicMom

We are in the second year of the Church’s Eucharistic Revival. What a gift the Church has given us to rekindle in our hearts a love for Him! Some of us like Lazarus have fallen asleep, some like Martha have been busy with other things. Let us learn from Mary, to wait at His feet and learn from Him. Truly this is the better portion.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, open the eyes of our hearts and let us see you in the breaking of the bread, in your Word, and in the people we encounter. Light a fire in our hearts and souls for a love of you. Oh, what a fire that will be! Then fan the flames so that we will feel compelled to share You with the world!

O Sacrament most holy,
O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving
Be every moment thine.

Now come, all you who labor
In sorrow and in pain,
Come, eat this bread from heaven;
Thy peace and strength regain.

Lord Jesus, we adore thee,
our Victim and our priest,
Whose precious blood and body
Become our sacred feast.

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