More Eucharistic Thoughts
When a soul leaves its biological body, there is an expansion of consciousness, a feeling of immense peace and liberation. Souls never leave alone. No one dies alone. They are usually accompanied by relatives who left before and who come to accompany them. Spiritual guides are also present to reassure them and accompany them on their journey. (Author unknown)
Facebook has a reflection about souls who do not depart in peace from this world. They are hounded on their journey by demons who seek to possess them and drag them off their heavenly course. It is up to us whom we choose to accompany us on our life’s journey and who will be with us when we die.
An additional blessing from our creator is our guardian angel. According to the Catholic Church teachings, angels have been “sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). Saint Basil the Great teaches that “beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life” (CCC 336).
Thanks be to God for sending us Jesus to possess our hearts and will, and to be with us through this life and when we transition into heaven. And where do we meet this Jesus and accept him as our life companion?
We can be assured that if we accept Jesus and receive him regularly in the Eucharist he becomes part of us. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him” (John 6:56). After the food of this earth no longer gives us strength and our bodies are dying, the Eucharist is the food that will satisfy our hunger forever.
Pope Benedict XVI said of the liturgy of the Mass, that is where “God enters into our reality, and we can meet Him, we can touch Him. It is the act in which we come into contact with God; He comes to us, and we are enlightened by Him.”
I often share stories of miracles for those who still have trouble accepting the truth about Christ’s teachings on the Eucharist. A paralyzed five-year-old was attending Mass in St Bartholome Church. At communion time he made it clear he wanted to receive the Eucharist. He cried, gesticulated and knelt down to receive.
The priest ignored him and finished distributing Communion to the rest. Finally, he yielded and gave the boy the Eucharist. Immediately the boy was shaken by a mysterious force. His body trembled and a powerful heat traversed his body from his feet to his head. He appeared to come to life. He moved his arms and legs and was suddenly and permanently healed.
How the Lord longs for us to be with him and to be his. The story is told of a grandfather who went to visit his grandson. His grandson was restricted to the playpen as punishment for something he had done. The grandfather didn’t hesitate. He climbed into the playpen and joined the boy.
How typical of God who was stuck with rebellious children who needed to be punished. It was “out of Paradise” for them. But what did our loving Father do? He climbed into our skin and came to earth to be with us.
(545 words)
