Turn to any page of St. Faustina’s Diary, and you’ll find spiritual gems. Like this one:
My daughter, write that it pains Me very much when religious souls receive the Sacrament of Love merely out of habit, as if they did not distinguish this food. I find neither faith nor love in their hearts. I go to such souls with great reluctance. It would be better if they did not receive Me (Diary, 1288).
When the coronavirus pandemic first hit, did you realize that you had been taking the Eucharist for granted? That’s how many of us felt.
But as Jesus said in St. Faustina’s Diary, “It pains Me very much when … souls receive the Sacrament of Love merely out of habit.” Jesus wants us to receive the Eucharist with faith and love. Unfortunately, many of us haven’t been. Having had access to the Sacraments virtually all our lives, many of us haven’t gone this long without receiving the Eucharist since we received our First Holy Communion.
The stay-at-home orders were a shock to many of us, especially when it came to not having access to the Sacraments. But perhaps God allowed this all to happen so that we might reevaluate the way in which we’ve been receiving the Eucharist.
Thankfully, with many dioceses beginning to open their doors at the end of the month, many of us will soon have another chance at receiving the Eucharist worthily.
So, when you can finally go back to Mass, how can you more worthily receive the Eucharist? Read the Readings before Mass, take a prayer journal with you to keep track of any inspirations, pray a prayer that inspires you before going up to receive the Eucharist, or consider fasting from midnight the night before. Though we are only required to fast an hour before Mass, fasting from midnight has been a tradition in the Church for centuries.
Another way to more worthily receive the Eucharist is to learn more about the Mass itself, which you can do by watching Fr. Chris Alar’s teaching Mass. The more you know about the Mass, the more you prepare, the easier it will be to pay attention, because it will have more meaning for you.
As you prepare to receive the Eucharist once again, if not this upcoming weekend then (God willing) in the weeks and months to come, ask St. Faustina for the grace to receive the Eucharist more worthily. Saint Faustina’s full name was Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament, so for this intention, she’s the perfect saint to ask for help.
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