The other day when my son and I went to Mass, one of my Jesuit friends was the celebrant. He visits our parish to say Mass every few weeks, and I’m always excited to see him.
When it came time for Communion, I never considered that I might have a chance to receive from my friend. He was distributing Communion in the center of the church, and we were sitting in the last row off to one side.
We slipped into line and inched forward, moving toward the Eucharistic minister who was distributing the hosts. Then, just as my son and I reached the front of the line, my priest friend finished distributing Communion in the center aisle and walked over to help with the crowd on our side of the church. Suddenly I realized I would be able to receive from him.
I stepped out of our line and walked up to him, presenting my cupped hands, ready for Jesus. The priest gave me a huge smile.
“The Body of Christ, Rita,” he said, as he placed the Eucharist in my hands.
I smiled the whole way back to my seat. After Mass, we chatted about how wonderful it was that I had been able to receive the Eucharist from him. What an unexpected surprise and delight.
“And I almost got to give the Eucharist to your son, too!” he said.
I loved that he was as excited as I was. Giving the Eucharist to people you know must bring as much joy as receiving from people you know.
Driving home, I was thinking that regardless of who gives you the Eucharist, you are encountering Jesus. And that is what is most important—that you are receiving Jesus. Whether you receive from a stranger or a friend, a bishop or the pope, the Eucharist is Jesus—body, blood, and divinity.
But there is also something truly beautiful about who shares Christ with us. We encounter Jesus in different ways every day, through the people we interact with. And it’s wonderful to think about how they can and do bring Jesus to us. The people in our lives—whether friends or strangers or somewhere in between—give us a glimpse of Christ’s love in their interactions with us. Distributing the Eucharist is such a magnificent and profound way to share Jesus with someone. But we encounter Christ through those around us in countless ways every day—and we have the opportunity to be Christ for others in the ways we interact with them, too.
As we continue through Lent, we might be surprised by some of the ways we will experience God’s love. May we recognize Jesus’ presence in the simplest moments of our day, and may we discover ways to share his love with others, as well.
And may the pleasant surprises of Lent bring us unexpected joy—and a reminder of how much God loves us.
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