Emmanuel
EUCHARIST: LIVING & EVANGELIZING
The Renewing Power of the Eucharist
by Mark C. McCann
Earthly places and journeys reveal our powerful encounter with God in the Eucharist,
where we are sealed as God’s own and strengthened for the journey of faith.
Mark C. McCann
is a writer
and ministry
consultant,
as well as a
former director
of religious
education and
associate director
of youth ministry
for the Diocese
of Norwich,
Connecticut.
He previously
authored
“Rethinking
Eucharist:
A Relational
Approach to
First Communion
Preparation” in
the March/April
2017 issue. More
information
about his work
can be found at
wordsnvisions.
com.
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Recently my wife, my girls, and I took a little mini-vacation to Newport,
Rhode Island, to soak up the sites, smell the salty sea air, and push the
reset button on our busy lives. To be honest, all of us really needed
this time away. The stresses of school and work, the worries about
the fast-approaching future, and the ongoing buffeting of the enemy
upon our lives were truly taking a toll on our family. Despite a few
bumps along the way, the whole experience turned out to be a time
of genuine renewal for all of us.
Our little respite from the woes of the world was a wonderful
reminder of the power of the Eucharist. The time together was not
just a memory in the making; it was a renewal of the bond we share
as a family and an expression of thankfulness for the love we have
experienced through the years. Like the Eucharist, it was a moment
that tied present to the past, offering hope for the future we share
with one another in Christ.
Fading Glory, Eternal Thanksgiving
Like so many visitors to Newport, we decided to tour the famous
Breakers Mansion. It was certainly one of the most magnificent
buildings we had ever seen, a grand monument to the Gilded Age.
Yet as I walked through the many elaborately-constructed rooms,
listening to the history of the family who built the mansion, I was
reminded of how fleeting is the glory of humanity compared to the
eternal glory of the Savior. All the rich and powerful family members
had passed into history barely remembered, and the home that once
hosted the most opulent affairs of any age had become a relic of a
bygone era.