“In a certain sense Mary lived the Eucharistic faith by offering her virginal womb for the incarnation of God’s Word, anticipating in herself what in some degree happens to every believer who receives the Lord’s body and blood in communion. There is a similarity between Mary’s “Fiat” at the Annunciation and the “Amen” of the believer who receives communion. Mary became in some way a tabernacle, the first tabernacle in history, in which the Son of God was adored by Elizabeth. And Mary’s gaze contemplating the face of the newborn Christ, cradling him in her arms, is the model that should inspire us, when we receive Eucharistic communion.”
Pope John Paul II
Ecclesia de Eucharista
Holy Mother Mary, thank you for your “Fiat”. Thank you for the example you gave us of adoration and love in the contemplation of your Son.
Each time we lift up our hands to receive our Lord’s most holy Body and Blood in communion and then gently place him in our mouths to ingest this holy food, we imitate you, beautiful Mother. We say, “yes” wholeheartedly to carrying our Lord within our very bodies and allowing him to radiate out to the world around us. Just as a pregnant woman takes extra care of herself to nourish and love the baby growing within her, teach us to take extra care of ourselves to nourish and love the life of Christ that grows within us each day. What an honor and joy this is! At the same time, what an incredible responsibility this is as well! It is a call for each of us to show our appreciation for the very noble sacrifice that Jesus paid for our sins. It is a chance for us to live our lives well, rejecting sin and embracing love in gratitude for the great love that Christ paid for us with his broken body and his outpoured blood. Help us to use this knowledge of Christ living within each and every one of us, as an opportunity to love others well, with our whole hearts, and to gaze upon each other, as we would gaze upon Jesus himself, with the adoration and reverence deserved by one who sacrificed His life for our freedom from sin.
Amen.
I love those words from JPII. This is a great reflection for this feast day. It's mind-blowing just thinking about how awesome this feast is! Thanks for all these beautiful words.
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