Apostle of the Eucharist - St. Peter Julian Eymard

(St. Agatha's, Canastota, NY)

As Catholics, the Eucharist must be the source, center and summit of our Faith.

 

Yet, we live in a time when belief in, and reverence for, the Most Blessed Sacrament, has dwindled to an ever decreasing minority.

 

What a tragedy! God gives Himself to us and remains here on earth with us, and most of us do not really care.

Today is the optional feast day for St. Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868) - the Apostle of the Eucharist.  His writings, including those on the Eucharist, are extensive and have been compiled into a 17 volume work. Even a cursory review of quotations attributable to him should set any heart afire.

 

Let me share a few now while encouraging you to explore this great Saint's writings in greater depth later.

             “Receive Communion often, and Jesus will change you into himself."

 "Be the apostle of the Divine Eucharist, like a flame which enlightens and warms, like the Angel of His heart who will go to proclaim Him to those who don’t know Him and will encourage those who love Him and are suffering."

“…we cannot consider the Most Blessed Sacrament attentively without concluding: ‘I must love Him and come to visit Him. I must not leave Him alone; He loves me too much’…” 

“Unless we have a passionate love for our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we shall accomplish nothing. Certainly, our Lord loves us passionately in the Eucharist; He loves us blindly without a thought for Himself, devoting Himself entirely for our good. We should love Him as he loves us."