In Fellowship

By: Rick Hernandez

“Today, solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is the grace and need of our time. Society will be restored and renewed when all its members group themselves around our Emmanuel.” (Peter Julian Eymard)

In these turbulent times that we live in, I often feel called to pray for the ones who are alone. So many of our brothers and sisters are ill, elderly, lonely, and separated from their loved ones, and it breaks my heart. Yet, this time is an opportunity for all of us to help carry each other’s burdens in physical action and mindful prayer. 

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)

May we always pray for and support one another, for where one might fail, two might succeed by helping each other. It is in our fellowship that we express our unity.

Those of us who follow the way of the cross, are aware of the weight. We may be encouraged when we find someone walking with us to lighten the burden, in this we become of one mind and heart. If you ever had the chance to hear a heart synchronized with yours, then you know how joyful it is to come together like that… I visualize us as a rowing team, a group united in fellowship, a choreography of movement, working together as a singular effort to the urging of a guiding voice. This sounds to me like the Christian life for those of us out in the world, as it is in the sharing of a purpose and in the merging of our actions that we come together in Christ.

Sharing this heavenly purpose makes us part of something greater than our single selves and closer to what we are called to be: the body of Christ. It is like the image of Moses and Levi from the Book of Exodus, with the Hebrews following shoulder to shoulder as they cross through the desert together (c.f. Exodus 32:26). This is meant to be the same way for us today.

​Our priests do not walk alone but alongside God and abreast of us, the lay people. We are a modern version of the Exodus, leaving the old world behind... but while our walk through life looks different than a desert crossing, the mission of hope is still lived, suffered, and shared together. We are still meant to go forward in the fulness of hope, active in faith and with charity towards our fellow brothers and sisters.

“I am not telling you: “bear with one another” [Col 3,13], that’s not enough; but love one another, since you form the beloved family of our Lord. So, be pleased with the fine service and holiness of your sisters, just as in a body one member is pleased with the service of the other. You form the court of the great King: always be dignified among yourselves. May good manners, proper behavior, a dignified way of speaking be the mark of your community life together.” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard - To Servants of the Blessed Sacrament - December 27, 1864)

Let us consider that what we do with our lives really does mean something, and our sacrifices are not so insignificant as to have no value in the eyes of God. On the contrary, they are as much a treasure to share and offer as those of anybody, for their real value is tied to our dignity as the beloved children of the Heavenly Father.

“For He needs not our sacrifices, but wishes them to be offered to Him, in order to arouse our devotion and to profit our neighbor.” (Saint Thomas Aquinas)

​Our fellowship has value, and our hope helps define us. With God’s help, we shall continually strengthen our hope that our stride may be purposeful on our path home. 

“When you are joyful, meditative, one with God, feed your prayer with gratitude, and enjoy God and his goodness. When dryness comes, draw water from the well, water with hope, and if you are experiencing any suffering of soul, let that suffering be the subject of your prayer in order to supernaturalize it, or eliminate it if it springs from disappointments and turmoil.” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard – Letter to To Mrs. Lepage - August 27, 1867)

During the Exodus, Moses, in anger, lost the right to step foot on the Holy Land… but even then, he kept his hope… so our merciful God allowed him to glimpse at the land of milk and honey (c.f. Deuteronomy 34:1-5).
 
In time, those of us, brothers and sisters who persist in our faith and our hope, shall also get to see the promised land, for it has been promised by the One who is worthy. In fact, whenever we partake of the Holy Eucharist, in that most beautifully intimate moment when we commune with Christ directly, we glimpse Heaven in fellowship with all the faithful!

Let us embrace our hope and continue along our path, together in fellowship with our brothers and sisters that walk alongside Christ. May we go through our modern Exodus and prevail on the blessed road to Heaven.

Let us pray: Lord, help us remain faithful and hopeful. May we stay firmly together on the road to Heaven. Amen.
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Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a commonsense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflections and for Catholicmom.com.