THE EUCHARIST AND THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
A Priestly and Eucharistic Heart
Fr . David Pellican
In the Eucharist we encounter the living , beating heart of Jesus . Scientific testing has found the bread-turnedflesh of several Eucharistic miracles throughout history to be the heart tissue of someone undergoing extreme agony . Those occurring at Lanciano around 700 AD and Buenos Aires in 1996 would be two examples . In the Eucharist , Jesus is present — body , blood , soul , and divinity . This great sacrament affords an unparalleled opportunity for our hearts to commune with the Sacred Heart of Jesus , that furnace of divine charity . St . John Vianney famously said that “ the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus .” If priests are called to embody the love burning in Christ ’ s heart , then the Eucharist must be the very center of their lives .
Instituted on the same night , the priesthood and the Eucharist are inextricably linked . On the one hand , the Eucharist cannot exist without priests , but the reverse is also true . Priests need the Eucharist to sustain them in their lives and ministry . This dependence is absolute , for without a deep appropriation of the sacrificial nature of Christ ’ s own offering in the Mass , and without time spent in silence before the Real Presence , a priest can quickly become a mere functionary . This is why both adoration and Mass are incorporated into the daily lives of prospective priests at the seminary , as they are formed to be shepherds after the heart of the Lord ( cf . Jer 3:15 ).
Adoration
Seminarians at Sacred Heart pray a daily Holy Hour before Jesus exposed in the Eucharist , and this can be a real adjustment for young men aspiring to the priesthood . It is not common to spend an hour every day sitting in silence . But Jesus calls those who follow him to make real changes in the way they live .
The Scriptures reveal that spending time in the presence of Jesus is not only important for one ’ s spiritual well-being but also precious in the eyes of the Lord . He called his apostles first to be with him and only secondarily to share in his mission ( Mk 3:14 ). The Lord does not desire the apostles and their successors to be mere functionaries . He wants those who follow him to take time to “ be with ” him . The parable of Martha and Mary also highlights this desire . Jesus gently chides Martha for being distracted with much serving , anxious and worried . He commends Mary for choosing the “ good portion .” What did Mary do to merit such approval ? She “ sat at the Lord ’ s feet and listened ” ( Lk 10:39 ), a beautiful image for the Holy Hour . It is a time to sit before the Lord , in his True Presence , and quietly listen . Like Martha , it is easy to be overwhelmed by the many things needing to be done . In the midst of busyness , the Holy Hour is time carved out , not to do things , but to be with .
10 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Fall 2021