Pausing and Praying with Jesus in my Hands

Lisa Simmons recalls taking a moment to pause and pray while she held the Body of Christ in her hands.

It happened again this morning. I was a Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Mass this morning. As I was waiting with Jesus for the organist to finish playing so she could receive our Lord, I began crying as I stood there holding the ciborium.

I was holding Jesus in my hands. The Communion song was Sarah Hart's "You Alone." And I knew it was Jesus alone I was holding there in my hands praying along with the song, and it brought me to tears.

It reminded me of how often I get out of my pew, walk down the church aisle, approach the priest or Extraordinary Minister to receive Holy Communion but don't always really remember just Who is being placed on my tongue or in my hands: Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

Sometimes we all take for granted the privilege that so many Israelites wished to see in their lifetime: the coming of the Messiah. And we have Him right here in our midst at every Mass and in our hearts, souls and bodies when we receive Holy Communion.

I had to Pause and Pray as I stood there waiting, cradling our Lord in my hands, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill down my face. My Lord, You are so gracious to me, to allow me to hold this vessel with Your body. I do not deserve this privilege; I am such a sinner and yet You forgive me when I ask You. You give me Your peace and love.

Oh how I wish I could tell every person walking up to Holy Communion to stop a moment and think: you are receiving Jesus, right this very moment, in your very hands, cupped to receive Him, or on your tongue. We are so truly blessed by the Lord for this beautiful moment every time we come to Mass. We are truly blessed to be Catholic, living here and now and able to receive Jesus like this and not have to wait like the ancient prophets and saints did.

If we could all Pause and Pray as we walk up the aisle, remembering just how many people have died wanting to receive Jesus this way.

woman receiving Communion at Mass

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Sometimes we all take for granted the privilege that so many Israelites wished to see in their lifetime: the coming of the Messiah. #catholicmom

My tears join so many others when they have the same experience as me receiving Jesus. I am grateful and thankful for those tears because they remind me just how miraculous this Holy Communion, this Blessed Sacrament is in my life. How very blessed I am to receive Jesus like this.

I want to shout to the whole world, "Look who is here! It is the Lord! He has humbled himself on the cross to die for little old me … so unworthy, yet so very loved by God."

I thank You, God for this miracle and for the tears that help me not take this Blessed Sacrament for granted. Help me feel this way every time and for always.

Eucharist in ciborium