Editor’s note: The Feast of Corpus Christi is June 7.

Servant of God, Father Isaac Hecker wrote:

To have been in the company of Jesus and conversed with him when he walked upon the earth was a great, a very great privilege! How much the hearts of his disciples been opened and the faculties of their souls drawn to all virtues in his presence! How much greater is our privilege to receive in the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus into our hearts! The change which Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament works in our souls is far more substantial, effective and greater. There is no living without eating; and the food which we partake of must be of similar nature as the life which it goes to support. Therefore the divine life in the soul must languish and die without the divine food of the Blessed Sacrament. 

Commentary by Father Paul Robichaud, CSP

Faith is a relationship, and as our faith deepens hopefully so does our intimacy with God. The New Testament tells the story of how the disciples came to understand who Jesus is and in time how their relationship with Jesus deepened. Here Father Hecker speaks about that relationship between Jesus and his disciples but then he goes farther. If it was a privilege to be in the presence of Jesus, how much more a privilege it is to receive the Blessed Sacrament. Not only do we encounter Jesus but Jesus comes into our hearts.

Not only does Jesus come into hour hearts in our receiving the Eucharist but we feed on divine life. We have received the gift of divine life in Baptism. Now in the reception of the Eucharist, divine life grows within us. Therefore it is important to receive communion as a regular part of our discipleship.

About this series

Father Paul Robichaud, CSP, is the historian of the Paulist Fathers and postulator of the Cause of Father Hecker. His office is located at the Hecker Center in Washington, D.C.

If you have asked Father Hecker to pray for you or another person who is ill and you believe something miraculous has happened, please phone Father Robichaud at 202-269-2519 or write to [email protected] and tell him your story.