Daily Mass Opened My Heart with Elise Giles | Eucharistic Encounters for Advent & Christmas

Daily Mass deepened Elise's relationship with Jesus, transforming her faith through the Eucharist’s nourishment, His real presence, and unconditional love.

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Experience a profound journey this Advent and Christmas season with "Eucharistic Encounters: Advent & Christmas Reflections on the Gift of the Eucharist." From the first Sunday of Advent through the Octave of Christmas ending on January 1st, immerse yourself in daily reflections that deepen your connection to the Eucharist and the heart of our faith.

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Each Sunday, join Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ, for an inspiring video reflection that sets the tone for the week ahead. Then, from Monday to Saturday, receive daily audio reflections from 27 diverse and insightful contributors, each bringing a unique perspective on the transformative gift of the Eucharist.

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Transcript

Hi everyone, thanks for taking time out of your day to listen to this reflection. I'd like to begin with a passage from the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to John, verses 51 through 58.

Jesus said to the crowds, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me, and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors, who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

I received my first Communion on a Saturday afternoon with my second-grade class. I was so excited to finally be included in this part of the Mass that I begged my parents to take me to church again the next day. Yes, of course, I re-wore my fancy dress. Did I fully comprehend transubstantiation? No, certainly not. I was just glad that I was finally able to participate in this Sacrament and was grateful to be considered worthy.

I wish I could say I maintained the childlike eagerness I had for my first Communion every Mass thereafter and for all the years since, but that's not exactly the case. I have always had a deep respect and reverence toward the Eucharist, but I wasn’t viewing it as the life-giving bread that Jesus cements it to be in John Chapter 6. I didn’t see Communion as something very personal, rather one of many elements of my Catholic faith.

So when I had some time off between my previous job and my current job, I made a commitment to go to Mass every day—not for any specific reason other than I really didn’t have an excuse not to since my days were completely free. I admit, rather shamefully, that I spent the first few mornings regretting this pact when the alarm would go off. However, after about a week, I started to wake up with eagerness. I would go to sleep excited about waking up to go to Mass in the morning.

When I reflect back on this, I know it to be the innate craving we all share for divine nourishment found only in the true food and true drink of Holy Communion.

When Jesus says, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him," it isn’t just a one-sided claim. He desires to remain in us just as we should desire to remain in him. He wants to be a part of our broken, messy human lives. He doesn’t need to, but he wants to. So when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we are letting him in. We are giving him permission to transform us with his very self.

I love when we say, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." It’s so honest and true. And the good news is that the word has been said. Jesus wants to heal our souls with his sacrificial and unconditional love.

One morning when I was at daily Mass, I was overcome with emotion during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. With tears streaming down my face, I thought to myself, If everyone really understood what was going on here, then every pew would be filled. We wouldn’t go to work. We would all just sit here and be with Jesus.

What a brilliant idea from someone with a completely free calendar and no one to take care of except myself. Let’s be real. Life is busy. I kept up my daily Mass pact for a little over a month, and I’m so grateful for the spiritual renewal that this month brought me. Mass energizes me and nourishes me in a way that I hadn’t opened myself up to before, and I can only attribute this to God’s grace.

I no longer attend hoping for a good homily or to check a box of obligation. I’m there for one reason: to be with Jesus.

If you are craving a deeper relationship with our Eucharistic Lord, then I would encourage you to add a weekday Mass into your routine. He is eager to meet you there.

For anyone who might be wrestling with the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist or how it is relevant in your life today, I completely empathize with you. Don’t let your doubts drive you away from a relationship with him or the Church. I’ve found that being honest with him and then creating space to let him work within my heart is the best way forward.

Let us pray for a greater understanding of the mystery of the Eucharist, that we might always approach this Sacrament with faith, devotion, and eagerness, allowing it to transform our lives and strengthen our unity with Christ and one another.

God bless you, and have a very Merry Christmas.