Communion of Body and Soul


The Eucharist is a sacrificial meal: we eat the Lamb sacrificed for our sins and, in this way, we ourselves become that Lamb, that sacrificial victim pleasing to God. In Holy Communion, it is not the Lamb who becomes part of ourselves, but we who become part of His Body, the Church. This is what it means “Holy Communion”: we enter into communion with God and with one another through the Lamb of God. We become that Lamb of God, part of His Body and Blood, and thus, like the Lamb, we belong to God.

Now, true communion with the Lamb implies communion of love, implies being one heart with Jesus and, in Jesus, with our brothers and sisters. This is why St. Paul says in the second reading: “Live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2)

How are we one heart with Jesus? When we love Him. When we do what He commands: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). It is not uncommon to see human beings nowadays being united in body but not in heart. We may often perceive human relationships in which there appears to be communion of love, but where only bodies are united. Our relationship with Jesus, instead, must be real. Our communion with the Body of Christ must be an expression of our love for Him and for our brothers and sisters in Him.

Let’s put it this way: Can I say that I love Jesus if I do not want to fulfill some of His commandments? Can I say that I love Jesus if I do not want to forgive the offenses I have received? Can I say that I love Him when I am not sorry for my past serious sins?

This is not necessarily an invitation to not receive Holy Communion but, if we go, let us bring love to Him in our hearts: let us bring to Jesus 1) our desire to please Him in all we do, 2) our sorrow for our past sins, and 3) our desire to forgive our brothers and sisters. Let us be united with Jesus not only in body, but with our whole heart.

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