OFFER, ADORE, RECEIVE

WHEN WE SPEAK about what we Catholics, both clergy and lay folk, do with the Holy Eucharist, what words do we use, specifically what verbs do we use? These verbs, or words which express actions, will tell us how we think about this great mystery of our faith and show us what more we still need to know about and to do with what we call the Blessed Sacrament. Usually the verb we most associate with the Eucharist is receive or take, as in “I receive the Eucharist,” or “I took Holy Communion.” Of course, a sacrament in which we drink and eat is obviously in the form of a meal, and a meal is something we take or receive from the one who has prepared it. Yes, the verb “receive” reminds us that the Eucharist can be a sacred meal, an eating and drinking of the sacramental signs. This eating and drinking tells us that the Lord Jesus is our spiritual nourishment as he himself tells us in the sixth chapter of St. John’s gospel: “My flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink.” Food is assimilated into our bodies: we become what we eat, so the Lord tells us in the same chapter “The one who feeds on me will live because of me.”

We become one with the Lord in a manner so perfect that it can only be perceived by faith in this life, and in the vision of God in the life to come. In receiving the Eucharist, we have an intimate and effective union with the Lord in a way that goes far beyond the other ways, even the closest, where one human being comes into union with another. All this is implied in the expression “re-

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ST. JOHN’S SEMINARY CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA

ST. JOHN’S SEMINARY NOW OFFERS AN ONLINE M.A. IN PASTORAL MINISTRY PROGRAM FOR THE LAITY

This program will help lay ministers increase their knowledge of the Catholic intellectual tradition and improve their ministerial skills for the life of the Church. Students will be prepared to work in different areas of ministry and make professional and personal connections with others of the same mind and spirit.

For more information

Email: mapm@stjohnsem.edu or visit www.stjohnsem.edu

The Diocese of Orange, through OC Catholic newspaper, presents local, national and world news about the Catholic Church. Our intention is to give our readers access to a variety of perspectives in order to help them to process the information within the framework of our Catholic faith, but also to better understand the perspectives of those with opposing viewpoints. We hope that ultimately our readers will be better equipped to have constructive conversations that further the growth of the Catholic Church.

Watch a brief video about the program

A studio with professional video, audio, and lighting equipment has been built to produce visually stunning content by our world-class faculty. This studio allows our students to have an enjoyable technological experience.