Day 6 within the Octave of Corpus Christi

The Eucharist is a profound celebration that connects Christians across time, rooted in Jesus’ command: “Do this in remembrance of me.” It is the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, in which the Church offers the Father the gifts he has given—bread and wine—which, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ, become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is truly and mysteriously present. As families, we can reflect with grateful hearts on the Eucharist as thanksgiving and praise to the Father for all he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. United to Christ, the faithful join his praise and intercession as the Church offers thanksgiving to God for all that is good, beautiful, and just in creation and humanity.

The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover and the sacramental offering of his unique sacrifice in the Church’s liturgy. It is not merely a recollection of past events: when the Church celebrates the Eucharist, Christ’s Passover is commemorated and his once-for-all sacrifice on the cross remains present. The Eucharist is therefore a sacrifice, for it makes present the sacrifice of the cross, remembers it, and applies its fruit. Christ’s sacrifice and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice, though the manner of offering is different. In the Mass, the Church joins herself to Christ’s offering and intercession for all people. As the faithful bring their praise, sufferings, prayers, and work, these are united with Christ’s total offering and acquire a new value. This is a beautiful invitation for our daily prayer: to place all that fills our lives before the Lord and unite it with his sacrifice.

The sacrament of Penance, instituted by Christ, offers sinful members of the Church—especially those who have fallen into grave sin after Baptism—a new possibility for conversion and for recovering the grace of justification. Over time, its celebration developed from rigorous public penance to the private practice of confession between penitent and priest, making repeated reception possible and bringing forgiveness of grave and venial sins into one sacramental celebration. Its essential structure joins the penitent’s acts of conversion—contrition, confession, and satisfaction—with God’s action through the Church, which forgives sins in the name of Jesus Christ, prays for the sinner, and helps restore ecclesial communion. As we prepare for Penance, we can prayerfully examine our conscience in the light of God’s Word, especially the Gospels and apostolic teachings, with sorrow for sin and a resolve not to sin again.