Note: For the Year of the Eucharist, every month I will feature one saint devoted to the Eucharist and a challenge.
Story of St. Tarcisius
Would you give your life to protect the Blessed Sacrament? St. Tarcisius, made this tremendous sacrifice, and today he is venerated as a great martyr.
During the Roman persecution of Valerian in the third century, Christians across the empire were arrested and killed for their faith. A group of imprisoned Christians sent a message to their community requesting to receive Holy Communion one last time before their execution.
St. Tarcisius, who was merely a boy, volunteered to carry the consecrated hosts to the prisoners as it was not safe for the clergy to visit those in prison. St. Tarcisius assumed that his young age would prevent any suspicion, but that proved not to be the case.
Along an ancient road, the Appian Way, he met a group of pagans, and they inquired as to what he was carrying. He refused to show the crowd, fearing that they would desecrate the hosts. The mob began to suspect that he was a Christian, and they developed a hatred for him. Their anger erupted, and they began to beat him. Eventually, he was killed.
According to tradition, the crowd miraculously did not find the Blessed Sacrament when they examined his body. The Christian community recovered his body and buried him. His story was first mentioned in a fourth-century poem of Pope St. Damasus where he was compared to St. Stephen, the first martyr.
Reverence for the Eucharist
What would happen if a non-Catholic attended a Mass? What would they see? What would they think about the host? Would they be able to make the distinction between receiving Holy Communion and getting a hamburger at McDonald’s? Would they realize that a consecrated host is the object of reverence and worship?
As a cradle Catholic, I have gone to Mass thousands of times over the last forty years, and I have lost focus of the great miracle unfolding at every Mass. At times, I have been too casual in my approach, and I have been distracted by daydreams, focusing on anything but the mysteries of the Mass.
When the public was prohibited from attending Mass during the worst of pandemic and now during the Year of Eucharist, I had the opportunity to reflect on the Eucharist and examine stories, like St. Tarcisius, to review my approach to receiving Holy Communion.
Catholics are instructed to review their life periodically to determine how to improve their spiritual life. Before confession, you should do an examination of conscience to see where you have fallen into sin. At the end of the day, you should do a short daily examen to recall the blessings and struggles of the day. Following this model, this month’s challenge is to take a few moments to examine your reverence for the Eucharist.
Examination for reverance related to holy Communion
- Are you in the state of grace?
- When did you last go to confession?
- Do you make it to church on time?
- How do you prepare spiritually for holy Communion?
- Do you fast before Mass?
- What prayers help you prepare for holy Communion?
- Are you attentive during Mass?
- Are you receiving holy Communion with proper reverence and awareness that you are receiving the body and blood of Jesus?
- Do you spend time communing with Jesus after Holy Communion?
- Do make a prayer of thanksgiving?
Examination for Reverence in Church
What if a non-Catholic entered a church? Would they be able to tell that it is the house of God? Would they be able to make the distinction between a church and a meeting hall? Take another minute or two to reflect on reverence in church.
- Do you bless yourself when you enter the church?
- Do you kneel when you enter and exit the pew?
- Do you maintain a spirit of silence in church?
- Is socialization reserved for areas outside of the church?
- How do you foster a prayerful disposition in church?
- How do you acknowledge God’s presence?
- Do you bless yourself as you pass a church?
St. Tarcisius was only a young boy, but he taught us a great lesson: we all need to have proper reverence and love for the Eucharist.
Last Challenge for the Year of the Eucharist: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and First Friday Devotion
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