Like everyone else, I know what it’s like to feel sad, lonely, frustrated, and unappreciated. This crazy world can surely pull me down. But I’m learning that the best defense is a heavenly offense, and that starts with attending daily Mass. 

What began as a soft, gentle pull has grown into a stronger tug to go, and if I don’t make it, I get the feeling that something is missing. Although it happens ever so slowly, I am able to look back and see how the Lord has changed my heart and made me stronger when dealing with the world around me. I find myself unable to say no to whatever He’s calling me to do. When the God of the universe offers to share all of His time, all of His attention, all of His care, all of His love in a very personal way with me, why would I ever refuse? 

I give my time and love to Jesus and He gives His time and love back to me. That fills me with an unexplainable peace that helps me to love others.

The Eucharist makes me feel very close to God. When I receive the Eucharist, I receive a warm and loving feeling through my whole body, like God is actually with me. 

I love being with my family and receiving the Eucharist together and being with the Church family. I love adoration because it is a quiet time for my mind and heart to be with God.

I began adding a couple of weekday Masses to my prayer life about 25 years ago. One day I was having a particular rough day with my children and I was yelling at them over something they had done. My then eight-year-old began to cry and yelled back, “You didn't go to Mass today, did you? You are always nicer on the days you go to Mass.” That statement hit me between the eyes. She was completely right. On the days I would go to Mass, I had more patience with my children and our day was calmer. I realized that this patience was not achieved by anything that I was doing except for the free gift of the grace given to me with each reception of holy Communion: Jesus coursing through my veins changed me. That was the day I began to go to Mass almost every day and I brought my children with me as well. We also began going to adoration as a family. 

I am not saying our days were always perfect; we are all still fallen and can choose to follow our own will above God's will, but with the grace of frequent reception of holy Communion, we were all able to grow in virtue and be more Christ-like to each other. With each holy Communion, He was changing our hearts to be more like His heart. Now all seven of our children, ages 37 to 18, are still actively practicing their Catholic Faith, attending Mass and Eucharistic adoration regularly; and they know for themselves that it is Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, who transforms them with each encounter with Him in the most holy Eucharist.