EUCHARIST, THE POWER TO OFFER ONESELF
The task of the laity to fill the secular reality with Kingdom values requires a good amount of balanced life. But an alternative reality assaults easily: namely to remain rather for the matters of God, avoiding all those matters of the secular world or get involved with the secular tasks in such a way of getting muddied in them to the extent of considering them as the only purpose of his life, establishing himself thus in the only god whom to worship.
The communion, that has to be a help for the apostolic task can be also converted into a refuge-practice. It is there we feel secure and firm in living the intimacy of the Body eaten and the Blood drunk, alone with our Christ-God. Such a stand would totally distort the meaning of the communion which Claret advises as the most frequent one to live deeply the laity spirituality. The communion does not shut me up with Christ alone enjoying the nectar of intimacy with Him.
The bread broken and the blood shed is the most contrary to a spirituality centred exclusively in the union with God alone. Jesus invites “to eat him” and “to drink him”, particularly with an attitude of generous offering for others. Meeting with Jesus in communion is to feel taken up by the power of a sacrificial love. Communion is the motor to launch a life with all the power of a generous love, to be attentive to others´ needs, their concerns and aspirations, joys, sufferings and hopes. When I identify myself with Christ and shut myself intimately with Him, I have to open-up myself like Him to serve others in the variety of tasks demanded in each place and time.
Is my communion the overflowing force that pushes me to serve my neighbour with the energy of a growing generous love? Am I truly a Bread-Body that is broken and Wine-Blood that is shed in my home, for my neighbours, in my work and in my rest?
