by Vince Cascone
In a recent conversation with teachers in one of our high schools, they talked about the beautiful witness given by one of their students at a previous school liturgy.
In his witness talk, this young man explained how his participation in daily Mass gave him a sense of peace in his life. He admitted that when he did not attend daily Mass, his days seemed not only less peaceful, but less ordered and focused on God and on God’s plan for his life.
The teachers raved about his beautiful and powerful witness to the importance of the Eucharist in his life.
My wife and I were blessed to be able to attend the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July. It was amazing to be among over 60,000 people celebrating the beautiful gift of Jesus’ body, blood, soul and divinity truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
Among the many great talks and presentations was the talk given by Bishop Robert Barron. At one point, he stated, “Jesus says, ‘This is my body’ but then he adds, ‘given up for you.’ ‘This is my blood, shed for you.’” The bishop continued by saying, “When we, therefore, consume the Eucharist, we become what we eat.”
He then went on to share a call to action when he said, “We become a body given for others. We become blood poured out on behalf of others. Your Christianity is not for you. Your Christianity is for the world. We are meant to be the bearers of the light to the world.”
The students in the schools throughout the archdiocese have opportunities each week to receive the Eucharist at Mass during school. Our high schools typically offer daily Mass before school. In addition, our students have the opportunity to pray and reflect before the Blessed Sacrament in eucharistic adoration.
In the same way that we processed through the streets of Indianapolis with the Blessed Sacrament at the Eucharistic Congress, many of our schools have had processions through their classrooms with the Eucharist. It is wonderful to hear how so many of the students hold up the opportunity to receive and adore the Eucharist as the most enjoyable and uplifting part of their days.
The young high school student who gave a beautiful and powerful witness to his peers about the importance of the Eucharist in his life did precisely what Bishop Barron called each one of us to do. He did not keep his Christianity for himself but he shared it with the world. Because of his witness, the teachers believe more students than ever attend daily Mass before school.
Please pray with me for Jesus’ abundant graces to continue to flow to our students.
