Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives

Apostolates

Guidelines for the Eucharistic Formation of the Young

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

Our closing reflections in this conference concentrate on how we — parents and teachers, priests and religious — are to become apostles of the Eucharist in our day.

What is an apostle of the Eucharist? An apostle of the Eucharist is one who has certain Eucharistic qualities, eight to be exact:

• An apostle of the Eucharist is one who is personally very devoted to the Holy Eucharist
  
  
  • As Real Presence
    
    
  • As the Sacrifice of the Mass and
    
    
  • As Holy Communion.
    
    
• An apostle of the Eucharist is one who realizes that there is no solution to the problems of the world or the problems of the Church, except through the Holy Eucharist.
  
  
• An apostle of the Eucharist is one who does everything in his power, by word and example, to promote a deeper faith in the Eucharist as Presence-Sacrament, as Sacrifice-Sacrament, and as Communion-Sacrament. All these are seen as the main sources of divine grace for the whole human race.
  
  
• An apostle of the Eucharist prays for a deeper understanding of the Blessed Sacrament, by himself and by others — especially by bishops and priests.
  
  
• An apostle of the Eucharist lives a life of reparation for those who neglect the Holy Eucharist or desert the Holy Eucharist or distort and desecrate the Holy Eucharist.
  
  
• An apostle of the Eucharist is zealous to convert or reconvert people to a life of grace and the fullness of the Christian faith, which believes that Jesus Christ is, now present on earth, offering Himself in the Mass by giving us the graces He won for us on Calvary, and giving Himself to us, coming bodily into our body, His soul into our soul, as the pledge of eternal destiny.
  
  
• An apostle of the Eucharist is a martyr for the Eucharist. No matter what price has to be paid an apostle of the Eucharist is ready to pay it as a witness to his faith that Jesus Christ is living in our midst today.
  
  
• An apostle of the Eucharist simply expects the Eucharistic Christ to work whatever miracles need to be performed in our day, especially:
  
  
  • Miracles of courage in conquering the demon of human respect by confessing Jesus Christ twenty-four hours a day.
    
    
  • Miracles of conversion in changing sinners, even today’s murderers in high places, to humble followers of Christ.
    
    

But an apostle of the Eucharist has no illusions. There will be opposition. “Have confidence,” Jesus tells us. “I have overcome the world.”

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, in the Holy Eucharist, we believe You are with us in the Blessed Sacrament. We believe You are inviting us to become apostles of the Eucharist through the young people You place into our lives.

“You told us, ‘Allow the little children to come unto me, and do not prevent them from doing so.’ In saying this, You were telling us to nourish the Eucharistic faith of the young. It is by believing in You that they come to You. It is by growing in their understanding of this faith that they will grow in their love for You.

“Here on earth, they cannot see You with their bodily eyes. But they see You with the eyes of their soul — provided we nurture their faith by our own deep belief in You our Eucharistic Lord and nourish their hearts by our own selfless affection for You our Eucharistic Love. Amen.”

Marian Catechist Newsletter
Vol. 2-#3, July 1998, pp. 1-2

Copyright © 1998 Inter Mirifica