Do This in Memory of Me: Set a Eucharistic Fire

By: Laura Catherine Worhacz

“Everything must become Eucharistic for you, otherwise, you are no longer in your vocation, and the sacrifices it demands from you would become impossible. You cannot always be on Calvary; nature would weaken and give in. Place your sacrifices in the love of Jesus Eucharistic; in this way, the bitterness of the chalice will immediately disappear, because love is stronger than death. A Eucharistic soul finds all in the Eucharist, and at the feet of the Tabernacle it finds strength, light and life. A soul that does nothing but remain silently at the feet of the divine Eucharist will soon become perfect. How can a tepid soul not warm itself before the Eucharist? How can a cold soul not see the ice of its heart melt before this consuming fire?” -  Saint Peter Julian Eymard (Letter to the Sister Servants, Paris, 6/15/1858)
 

​​Dear Eucharistic Family,
 
We have entered the Easter season abandoning our wills, grasping hold of our Heavenly Father’s hand, and imagining being in the Acts of the Apostles. The Kingdom of Heaven is our eternal reality, and we see it now through the Eucharist. I recently heard someone say we live in a hostile world. True, bizarre things are happening all around us. The God of all creation has called us by name. We are blessed to be invited to set fire to the earth with his love. The hostilities and unusual happenings will be taken over by a longing of the heart as humanity finds the sacred.
 
“Before birth the LORD called me, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.” (Isaiah 49:1)
 
I attended a summit this past week, a gathering of ministry leaders, with deacons, priests, and sisters present. The importance of the faithful coming together in prayer with the Eucharist, the Liturgy as the central focus, enraptured something new in me. We who love our Catholic Church have much work to do, together, to keep Christ alive in our world today.
 
Jesus tells us to “Do This in Memory of Me” (Luke 22:19). The Eucharist must be everything for us, as St. Peter Julian, the Apostle of the Eucharist, reminds us. 
 
The Savior of the world, our risen Jesus, longs to heal, forgive and set fire to the earth. Miracles are waiting to happen. By grace, in deep silent prayer and the reception of Holy Communion, the Kingdom of Heaven will be brought to the world. The inner cenacle lives in our souls united to the heart of God during our consuming of the Sacred Host for us to become a consuming fire of love for our God. Miracles will happen. We will keep the Acts of the Apostles in motion by growing our Church in faith and love. Charity will fall into eternal life with us by our own apostolic lives. 
 
One of the speakers at the summit recommended we create a personal mission statement, handwrite it, check it regularly, rewrite it quarterly, and follow up on its goals.
 
Imagine if we all make a conscious effort to be our brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9), to pray for every person we encounter and take an interest in their souls. Our desire to become saints will be blessed in this effort.
 
I am in the middle of renewing my consecration to Jesus through Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. Each year our mother calls me to this time with her. Mary is with us always, yet going on retreat with her helps us be comforted in the care of a mother. She helps direct us and guides the fires Jesus would wish to be set. St. Peter Julian tells us the Eucharist can transform the bitterness of suffering in our lives. Mary is the one to show us this way to salvation.
 
What legacy of love can we leave upon this earth? Believe we will see a gift of God’s promise from the heavens one day, one that the faithful will take sight of as they see everything through the Eucharist.  
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Prayer to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament

Blessed are you, Mary exalted daughter of Sion!
You are highly favoured and full of grace,
for the spirit of God descended upon you.
We magnify the Lord and rejoice with you
for the gift of the Word made flesh,
bread of life, and cup of joy.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament,
our model of prayer in the cenacle,
pray for us that we may become what we receive,
the body of Christ your Son. Amen

Laura Catherine Worhacz

Laura Catherine Worhacz is a Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament and author of Consecration to Jesus Through Our Lady of The Blessed Sacrament. She is also the Director of Mothers of The Blessed Sacrament. She lives in Trinity, FL with her husband and their two daughters.