Week 344

Positive post Sunday, October 1, 2023- Week 344. 

Michele and I have been blessed and humbled to serve our Lord as Eucharistic Ministers at our church for over 20 years.  I have found assisting in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass, reverently handling the Eucharist, to be one of the most spiritual and powerful ways to serve.  I cannot find the words to explain what I experience each time I lift up the Host and share “the body of Christ” with fellow believers, but it is truly transformational for me.  

If I have been blessed to serve you Holy Communion, please know that I do so with great humility and reverence.  With an open heart and soul, every time I am honored to serve, I see God in so many of my fellow believers.  It doesn’t matter if they are an elderly woman struggling to get up the isle to receive our Lord, or a young boy coming up to receive a blessing in anticipation of his First Holy Communion someday.  I see our Lord in all of them in so many wonderful and diverse ways.  

I have had many experiences where God speaks to me through those that I serve in His name.  Here is one of many heartwarming examples.  While serving at Mass a few Sundays ago, I was blessed even further when a young boy came up with his father for Communion.  When young children who have not yet made their First Communion come up with their parents, our tradition is to reach out our hand and ask our Lord to bless them.  As I extended my hand forward in front of this well-groomed, precious and energetic young boy to ask our Lord to bless him, he reached up and gave me a “high 5”!  His father whispered “sorry” to me, to which I replied, “no need to apologize, that was wonderful”.

Now, on the surface, you might think that was just cute or funny.  I saw it as much more, and so did the boy’s parents.  We looked for each other after Mass, and when we connected, we really didn’t need to say a word.  The smiles on all our faces spoke louder than words.  We all recognized this was much more than a simple gesture, but an invitation from our Lord to meet each other in His name.

On that Sunday evening, I was once again blessed while serving our Lord as a Eucharistic Minister.  Through what I see as a gesture from our Lord administered though one of His young disciples, I met a wonderful and spiritual family with 3 respectful boys who have touched my heart and deepened my faith.

Our Lord works in amazing ways, all we need to do is listen and look for Him in our daily lives.  From this time forward, giving and receiving a “high 5” will have a special and deeper meaning to me!

Where do you see God in your daily life? 

Where do others see God’s work in you?