When attending or joining the Eucharist, I must remember that I will be meeting the Lord. Therefore, I must already be prepared in my heart, my mind and soul that I will be receiving not any symbolic bread but the real presence of the Body of Christ and will be in union with my Lord. I always had a conversation with him before I consume the Body of Christ. What a joy and a privilege to receive him.
To increase my reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, I remind myself that the presence of Jesus is real and that he is waiting for us to visit him. Our Catholic faith acknowledged and recognised the real presence of our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I honour his presence when coming before the Blessed Sacrament by genuflecting and to give my silent praise and worship.
— Mila Apuy
R eceiving the Lord in the Mass is routine only if you don’t give it a meaning and think that it is only your duty to attend the Mass on Sunday. We need to go to Mass and receive Jesus and understand that it is really him whom you received. To increase one’s reverence for the Blessed Sacrament is to receive Jesus every time in the Mass. During time of the day without Mass, visit the Blessed Sacrament daily for at least 15 minutes. Praying and receiving Jesus in the Sacrament transform our lives because we receive him in our lives daily.
— Rogelio Beltran
For us believers, receiving the Lord in Holy Communion should neither be an obligation nor a routine but an act of faith and devotion to the Lord, the source of our spiritual life. It is also an act of thanksgiving in memory of Christ’s death in order to give us new life.
Receiving the Eucharist is receiving food for our soul therefore it must be done with reverence and honour. Some ways of increasing reverence for the Eucharist are by constant prayer, reflection, attending Holy Mass with a thorough preparation before Holy Communion, attending Eucharistic Adoration and participating in retreats. We maintain high respect and decorum in receiving the Holy Eucharist. We avoid unnecessary talks, noise or other distractions before, during and after Mass, thus we can adore our God in silence as we peacefully and solemnly enjoy his presence in the Blessed Sacrament.
— Jesel Candela
Before receiving the Body of Christ, it is important that we prepare ourselves and receive him with utmost reverence. As a preacher, I remind parents of their obligation towards their children to mould them to be devoted Catholics and to place God as the centre of their lives. As a mother, praying together at home is one of our family bonding. Even when we are not allowed to go to church, we always make time to attend the online Mass every Sunday to help nourish us spiritually. The more that you see his presence in all things, the closer to him you become. The key to relieve sorrow and pain and the key for happiness is both prayer.
— Maria Gilda Sarroza
We may avoid receiving the Lord in a routine manner if we make it a lifetime commitment for spiritual nourishment. Just like food for physical health, we should receive the Holy Eucharist for our spiritual nourishment together with the Word of God. Receiving the Lord is more than an obligation or routine. It is nurturing life with the Lord. Our spiritual life is strengthened through the increase of our reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, so we should regularly attend Eucharistic Adoration when possible.
— Gloria Verano
