Seeking Divine Intimacy with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist
Divine Intimacy is the core of Christian spirituality. The Holy Eucharist is the greatest intimacy with God that we have available to us. So it makes sense that deepening our participation in the Holy Mass and becoming more open to Jesus’ presence in the Holy Eucharist would deepen our prayer life – and that a deeper prayer life would deepen our participation in the Holy Eucharist. First God unites Himself to our souls. Then we seek to open ourselves more completely to His presence – and that is what Christian spirituality is all about.
Entering More Deeply Into the Divine Intimacy of the Holy Eucharist
So how do we enter more deeply into the Holy Eucharist? Well, there are three phases of any sacramental preparation. Again using the Church’s language, we go through remote preparation, proximate preparation, and immediate preparation.
Your remote preparation for receiving the Holy Eucharist is mostly learning about the meaning and purpose of the various parts of the Holy Mass, the prayers and the actions we perform. How aware are you of the meaning of each part of the Holy Mass? Why do we make the Sign of the Cross? Why do we cross ourselves with holy water? What do the words of the Eucharistic prayer mean? Where does the consecration actually happen? What are the most important words in the Eucharistic prayer? Why is the Our Father placed where it is in the Holy Mass – and what does it mean in that position? If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you will find it very difficult to immerse yourself more deeply into the Sacrament. If you would like some instruction on the answers to these questions, please let me know in the comments for this page. I’d be happy to create a video series explaining them. But I only want to put the effort into doing that if I know there’s a need.
The immediate preparation for receiving the Holy Eucharist is how you approach the sacrament during the Holy Mass. If you’ve done your remote preparation, you can more fully participate in the divine liturgy. Specifically, there are two things you can do to enter more deeply into divine intimacy. First, consciously recall the meaning and purpose of each part of the Holy Mass as you go through it. One great way to do this is to identify the frequent and meaningful scriptural references we make throughout the Liturgy. Second, enter into a prayerful dialogue with God about each part of the Holy Mass. For example, I usually say (quietly to myself) “Come, Holy Spirit” during the epiclesis (the part of the Eucharistic Prayer when the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to bless the bread and wine that will become the Body and Blood of Jesus). I also say (reflecting St. Thomas the apostle when he finally recognized the resurrected Christ), “My Lord and My God” during the consecration. This form of participation will increase your awareness of Jesus’ presence in the Holy Eucharist. You can then take that awareness home and deepen it in your prayer.
How the Holy Eucharist and Our Private Prayer Deepen Each Other
In the middle of your remote and immediate preparation lies your proximate preparation. Proximate preparation means what you do to deepen your participation in the Holy Eucharist before you go to Holy Mass. It would include your regular prayer life and your regular walk of faith. So here’s where we talk about how the Holy Eucharist and your personal prayer life can deepen each other.
Your private prayer life is fed by intimacy with Jesus. Jesus is now united with you – body and spirit. Your prayer is to open yourself more completely to His presence. The best prayer to do this is meditation, but any prayer is better than nothing. Just try to focus your time of prayer on connecting with the presence of Jesus within you. As you exercise divine intimacy with Jesus in your private prayer, you will find that your reception of Him in the Holy Eucharist is much more meaningful.
In turn, the more intensely aware you are of Jesus’ intimate union with you in the Holy Eucharist, the more aware you’ll be of His presence in your prayer. This won’t always be an emotional awareness. Dryness in prayer is a universal experience. But your awareness of Jesus’ intimacy with you can get you through those emotionally dry times. You will know Jesus is with you even when you aren’t feeling His presence.
The Holy Eucharist and a life of prayer are really one and the same movement – Jesus uniting Himself to us and us opening ourselves more completely to His presence.
One Final Point
The Catholic spiritual life is a constant process of entering more deeply into the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. It’s not something that happens naturally. As Saint Peter says in 2Peter 1:3-8:
As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue. By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world. And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness; And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity. For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Brought to you by Jeffrey S. Arrowood at From the Abbey, dedicated to helping you rediscover the JOY of learning and living your faith so you can grow in intimacy with God.
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