Eucharist: How to give thanks?

” Lhe priest that I am is saddened to see the faithful who, after receiving Communion, return to their places and, with dreamy eyes, let their thoughts wander, notes Pascal Ide, priest of the diocese of Paris. The fruit of Eucharistic communion is proportional to our attention to Him with whom we enter, precisely, into communion. Believing that Eucharistic communion produces its effect in us without our attention is equivalent to believing that we benefit from the presence of our best friend who has come to visit us while continuing to read our newspaper or surf on our Smartphone. » Hence the importance of this special time of contemplation commonly called “thanksgiving”.

An old call

Many spiritual authors have mentioned it. “You must take care of yourself once you have received the sacrament (of the Eucharist), affirms the Imitation of Jesus Christ, a 14th century texte century which enjoyed great popularity. This vigilance (…) is itself an excellent preparation to receive greater grace. »

Saint Pierre-Julien Eymard (1811-1868) affirmed that without this step the communion risked degenerating “in a simple pious habit”. So it was with a parishioner of Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595), who every Sunday left the church just after receiving the body of Christ. To bring him out of his spiritual torpor, the Italian saint asked two altar boys to stand outside the church with lighted candlesticks to escort him when he came out!

A time of contemplation

Thanksgiving first requires recollection to allow the Spirit to accomplish his work in peace. “Nothing is less disposed to this than to spread oneself too much immediately outside, by going towards external consolations, warns the Imitation of Jesus Christ. Beware of too many words; remain hidden to enjoy your God. » “The fruit produced by the Blessed Sacrament cannot be born in you, ensign Jean Tauler (1300-1361), if your heart is not turned towards itself, in an amiable recollection. » The Roman Missal provides for this purpose a few minutes of silence following the communion which can be prolonged after the sending, before leaving the church. If we are prevented from doing so, rather than omitting Thanksgiving, it is better to postpone it to another time of the day.

Diverse experiences

This time of prayer can be a source of consolation. “Nothing is capable of giving me tangible joy like this bread of love, after receiving which I remain as annihilated before my God, wrote Saint Marguerite-Marie Alacoque (1647-1690), but with such great joy that I sometimes pass half a quarter of an hour during which my whole interior is in silence and in deep respect to hear the voice of him who makes all the happiness of my soul. » Others, conversely, experience aridity, such as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), who nonetheless pursues thanksgiving.

Because the Norman Carmelite does not desire “to receive the visit of Our Lord for (his) satisfaction, but only for his pleasure”. The Imitation of Jesus Christ evokes the attitude to have according to each of these scenarios: “When I give you the grace of fervor, give thanks to your God, not that you are worthy of it, but because I have pity on you. And if you do not feel fervor, feeling rather arid, persevere in prayer, groan, knock at the door, and do not tire until you have deserved to receive a crumb or a drop of saving grace. »

make resolutions

The Word of God is there, within us, and we can thank him for having come so close, confide our joys and sorrows to him, question him, listen to him, stand in his presence. “The best way to thank Christ will be to live effectively the graces he has brought us”, remarks Father Max Huot of Longchamp, for whom this moment is an opportunity to renew the commitment of our baptism.

Thanksgiving should make it possible to“to enter into the logic of the Eucharist by deciding concretely what will be the continuation of our Christian life”. “Since I know Christ is living in me, I am going to “untie his hands” by fighting more particularly against such and such a defect, by setting in motion a difficult reconciliation, by going to a brother who has been tried, again writes this specialist in Christian mysticism. This thanksgiving is only a starting point, it is the whole of life which becomes thanksgiving for those who want to remain consistent with what they celebrated in the Eucharist. »

Testimonial: “Thanks to trust, joy comes back to me”
As a child, I received the grace that Mass would be a real jubilation for me. However, during communion, I find myself in expectation. How can I believe that this little circle of white bread is Jesus who comes to give me his life? I then decided to believe these words: “Eat, this is my body”… I agree to put aside my emotion, my intelligence, to receive this truth in pure faith. There, the miracle happens each time: by abandoning all resistance, by trusting, joy returns to dwell in me. It is as if I rested on the heart of Jesus and, at the same time, offered him to allow himself to be consoled by my love. Sometimes short prayers come out of my heart: “Jesus, my light”… This time always passes too quickly. So I prolong it after mass in a neighboring oratory, feeling myself in communion with those who suffer and whom I carry in my intentions.
Anne Pion Drancy,
orthopedagogue, 60 years old, Sceaux (92)

Pray, the monthly spiritual life
This article appeared in Pray notoh 442, dated June 2022. This monthly is made up of two media. His booklet Pray daily offers the Gospel of the day, with commentary by the Taizé brothers and the Sunday readings. The magazine presents reports, testimonials, training in inner life thanks to Anselm Grün, Patrice Gourrier, Martin Steffens without forgetting the presentation of films, works of art, books… Pray is the only magazine that covers all aspects of the spiritual life.
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Eucharist: How to give thanks?