What an incredible act of love! With the Institution of the Holy Eucharist, Christ gives himself completely to each of us under the guise of bread and wine. Think about it. Our Lord nourishes us with his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity!
Are we able to wrap our minds around what is happening inside of us when we consume the Holy Eucharist? We commingle with Jesus Christ! So what do we do with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord? At Mass, we give thanks and praise.
Do we then go our separate ways without any regard to Christ’s existence within us? Or do we allow the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord to take hold of our entire lives? My answer lies somewhere in the middle. Am I afraid? Of course!
Gift of Love
Christ suffered and died on the cross to save us for eternal life in heaven. At Mass we relive Christ’s sacrifice as our Lord mystically renews his Passion and Crucifixion. We then witness the miraculous gift of love—the transubstantiation of bread and wine into our Lord’s Body and Blood.
In choosing bread to become his Body, Christ humbles himself to be present in the tiniest part of the sacred host. Through Christ, we receive the bread of life. In choosing wine to become his Blood, Christ courses through us internally; it becomes our spiritual drink. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day,” said Jesus [John 6:54].
Therefore, when we partake in this Paschal Banquet, do we allow ourselves to be transformed? “As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life, and this living charity wipes away venial sins” [CCC 1394]. Remember, the Holy Eucharist increases the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Consider what we receive through the Lord’s Spirit. The gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The fruits: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. All of which is made possible by the love of our Lord.
So why am I afraid? Perhaps the responsibility of accepting our Lord’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity is more than I want to handle. “If anyone wishes to come after me,” Jesus said, “he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” [Luke 9:23].
What Good Is Faith?
Therefore, what good is faith if we do not practice it? If we are afraid to live our faith; if we hide our faith in the midst of societal changes that oppose God’s law, what do we accomplish? We do a disservice to the Holy Eucharist if we do not allow its power to replenish our soul and strengthen our faith so that we can become more Christlike in our daily lives.
And so, as we relive the Passion, Crucifixion, and Glorious Resurrection of Jesus this Easter Season, let us allow ourselves to be renewed. Let us not be afraid. United with Christ, we have the strength to bear our cross as an act of love as Christ did. With the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord inside us, together we can better ourselves and work to make our world a better place. Amen!
2 thoughts on “Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity”
I feel the same way-wanting Him to possess me wholly, but also being afraid. I also feel like I make a poor tabernacle, but He is the best judge of that. Hopefully someday He will possess us, even if it’s after our souls leave this earth.
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