Three Ways to Grow in Devotion to the Holy Eucharist

Receive the Lord in the Holy Eucharistic meal as often as you can. The Lord's Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his Passion and because it anticipates the wedding feast of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem is the most highly valued prayer of the people that brings us into Communion with the Lord. Specifically, in the Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this rite, part of a Jewish meal when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, above all at the Last Supper. It is by this action that his disciples will recognize him after his Resurrection, and it is this expression that the first Christians will use to designate their Eucharistic assemblies; by doing so they signified that all who eat the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with Him and form but one body in Him. The Eucharist defines us as Catholics as a visible expression of the Church in Heaven and on earth (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC),  Art. 3, Sec. II, 1329.

Pray in front of the Real Presence of Our Lord during the Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Catholic Church has always offered, and still offers, to the Sacrament of the Eucharist the [practice] of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it,  reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in processions." (CCC, 1378). As faith in the real presence of Christ in his Eucharist deepened, the Church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord present under the Eucharistic species. It is for this reason that the tabernacle should be located in an especially worthy place in the church and should be constructed in such a way that it emphasizes and manifests the truth of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament." (CCC, 1379). The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let our adoration never cease. (CCC, 138)  "Christ’s faithful are to hold the blessed Eucharist in the highest honor. [We] should take an active part in the celebration of the most [distinguished and precious] Sacrifice of the Mass; they should receive the sacrament with great devotion and frequently, and should reverence it with the greatest adoration." (Code of    Canon Law, 1993, Canon 898). It is recommended . . . that the church in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved should be open to the faithful for at least some hours each day so that they are able to spend time in prayer before the Most Blessed Sacrament."(Canon 937)

Research Eucharistic Miracles which have occurred throughout the History of the Church. A Eucharistic miracle occurs each time at Mass when the bread and wine is transformed into the Body and Blood of Our Lord. However, there are Eucharistic Miracles that have occurred that confirm the Real Presence of Our Lord experienced through our senses. The Real Presence of Jesus Christ with His glorified Body is beyond the realm of purely sensory experience. The Eucharistic miracles, on the other hand, are extraordinary events concerning the bread and wine consecrated at Mass which can be experienced through the senses. They become a visible sign of the Real Presence of Jesus… “Our faith is not founded on Eucharistic miracles, but on the proclamation of the Lord Jesus, received with faith through the action of the Holy Spirit…A Christian is not obliged to believe in Eucharistic miracles,” Monsignor Raffaello Martinelli explains, however, “Eucharistic miracles can encourage us to understand, appreciate and love the Eucharist…They can help a person discover the mystery, the beauty and the riches of the Eucharist. They are extraordinary events often unfortunately unknown even in the realm of Christianity.” (16 Eucharistic Miracles in Italy, Vocepiù, 1997). Discover the mystery that has recaptivated the faithful during our current Eucharistic Revival throughout our country and throughout the world by looking onto Eucharistic miracles.

But always remember, it is indeed true that the most important and astounding miracle is the one that takes place whenever the Eucharist is celebrated, during which ‘Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way. He is present, in a true, real, substantial way, with his Body and Blood, with his Soul and Divinity. In the Eucharist, therefore, there is present in a sacramental way, that is, under the Eucharistic species of bread and wine, Christ whole and entire, God and Man’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church Compendium, n. 282).