Jesus Is Our Eucharistic Savior

Deanna Bartalini explains how she focuses on the everyday truth of Jesus' saving presence in the Eucharist.

We, the Catholic Church, are in the midst of a Eucharistic Revival. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully present in the host we receive at Mass and the gift of that reality, sustains us. To think that Jesus loves us so much that He comes to us under such an ordinary thing: bread. What a tremendous gift.

Yet He does not stop there, as St. Edith Stein reminds us:

It is important that the Holy Eucharist becomes life’s focal point; that the Eucharistic Savior is the center of existence; that very day is received from the His hand and laid back therein; that that day’s happenings are deliberated with Him. (Spirituality of the Christian Woman 125)

Jesus wants to be with you each and every day. Some of those days seem endless, with all the demands on your time and energy, giving, caring, and serving others. Each need seems to pull us away from peace, leaving us feeling as if we have no center at all. The answer is Jesus. Each time we are pulled away to look elsewhere, come back to your center. And in the center of your being, in your soul, there is Jesus.

It takes a moment, before you react, to pause so that you can respond. Pause and say, “Jesus.” That’s all. And let Him point you to what to say or do next. Instead of reacting, respond. In the ideal world, we have time every morning to speak to the Lord, read a bit of Scripture and pull together our list for the day. And that may be your life now or it may not be.

I think, looking back, I often tried to create the right time and place to be with Jesus. As a new mom who worked as a teacher, those times were few and far between. Instead, there were moments and time in the car. I remember once, talking to an experienced mom of 6, who said that, when her children were young, she kept her daily devotional in the bathroom. And I was so reassured by that! It wasn’t only me who had to get my fill of Jesus in seemingly unholy places.

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Each need seems to pull us away from peace, leaving us feeling as if we have no center at all. The answer is Jesus. #catholicmom

The Eucharist is our sustenance for our interior life. Each day is an opportunity to rely fully on the One who gives us each day, as Edith Stein says. By turning our day over to Him, by “debating” with Him, the necessary tasks will rise to the top and the unimportant ones fall away. Whatever your life circumstances, find that moment to connect with Jesus in some way. Invite Him into whatever is going on in your life. When I do this, I have more peace.

I pray that the name of Jesus and His presence in the Eucharist gives you comfort, strength and guidance each day.

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