The Bishops of the United States are concerned that many Catholics do not understand Catholic teaching about the Holy Eucharist and do not appreciate the significance of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

We Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus. At Mass, the priest “consecrates” bread and wine and Jesus is present. Jesus is truly present, Jesus—body, blood, soul and divinity. We receive Jesus who is truly human and we receive Jesus who is also the eternal God. The Eucharist we receive is more than the entire universe because the Eucharist is the Creator of the universe. Jesus, God and human, comes into each of us.

Perhaps some Catholics vaguely acknowledge that we receive the Body of Christ, but do we really appreciate what this means? We receive often and perhaps it becomes routine, barely noticed.

Jesus comes in such a simple form, bread and wine, that we can fail to fully appreciate the amazing truth that the Creator of the universe comes to dwell anew in our hearts and souls.

We need to be prepared for reception of the Eucharist. Anyone conscious of serious sin should repent and go to confession before receiving.

Saint John’s has a long history of daily Eucharistic adoration. People stop in our church to pray before the Eucharist exposed on the altar in the monstrance. Saint John’s is a special center of Eucharistic devotion.

On October 15, we will carry the Eucharist in procession from Holy Redeemer to Saint John’s, giving open witness to our belief that Jesus is truly with us in the Eucharist. In this year of Eucharistic revival, we will proclaim the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist in a public procession.