“My life has radically changed”

The Eucharist is that it is the source of the fullness of life! While I was attending Ball State University in 2020, I was encouraged by some FOCUS missionaries to begin going to daily Mass. Since then my life has radically changed. I have physically, mentally, and spiritually been transformed into becoming more like Christ each day. How awesome! From the Eucharist, I have been able to see the relationship that God desires to have with each and every one of us, one that is intimate, literally consuming him! God also desires for us to be transformed internally: The road to self-mastery is impossible without Christ in the Eucharist. Christ's readiness for us to receive him, in his complete gift of self, makes me desire to become more and more every day! 

I have experienced the healing and transformative power of the Eucharist through my relationships, in freedom from past struggles/sins, and in an unending desire for closeness with God. Little did I know before heading out on this journey of daily Mass that my vision/focus was so clouded. I constantly measured myself off of those around me but I didn't look at the summit of creation, Jesus himself! Since going to Mass daily I have been confronted with my own brokenness and poverty; this is something that I had truly never contemplated. I felt like it was put in me to get through life rather than be truly impacted by it or that I wouldn't be able to change. I certainly never thought that I would ever get over my past failures as a teammate, son, and friend. Through the Eucharist, I have come to know a love and peace that gives me the strength and desire to express to others its power. The Eucharist has altered my focus and direction in life. It has shown me the need for community and the need for relationships with God and other people. It has altered my direction off of my own personal success and on to the Gospel and expressing Christ's truth, which has become so clouded and watered down in our current time. 

I love going to Mass and receiving Holy Communion because I know the power of Christ's love. Christ gave Himself to us on the Cross, so that I may now have my truest and only identity, as a son of God! Jesus took on our sins, suffered, and rose from the dead for my sake and all those around me. Christ altered the human condition in his Resurrection, giving me a chance to be called God's son. Christ not only gave of himself on that day but continues to give, each day if possible, a chance to become more like him–someone capable of sacrifice, someone capable of love in its truest form and so, so much more! 

Each Mass when the Eucharist is consecrated I bow my head and pray, "Christ, allow me to be able to give a complete gift of self as you did on the Cross." I also love going to Mass to be able to see other people taking part in this great sacrament! 

What I love about going to adoration and praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament is that it is just so different! I often have to sit back and just think about how radically different and mysterious truly our faith is. Adoration is one of those spaces in which I love to experience Christ's love. While at adoration I take on the image of being before Christ at one of his many teachings expressed in the Bible, sitting before him and experiencing his words and his love and truly being able to experience the truth that he is expressing. Being in the Real Presence of Christ in that way or in a chapel really just again expresses the closeness that God desires to have with us.