Catholic Daily Reflections
My Catholic Life!
My Catholic Life! presents the beauty and splendor of our Catholic faith in a down to earth and practical way. These daily audio reflections come from the "Catholic Daily Reflections Series" which is available in online format from our website. They are also available in e eBook or paperback format.
May these reflections assist you on your journey of personal conversion!
Categories: Religion & Spirituality
Listen to the last episode:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.” John 6:53–55
On a philosophical level, it’s useful to consider various things that appear to be “competing forces.” Good appears to be the opposite of evil. Light the opposite of dark. Heat the opposite of cold. And life the opposite of death. But are they truly opposites in the sense of being competing forces? When considered carefully, it is clear that good and evil, light and dark, heat and cold, and life and death are not actually “competing forces;” rather, evil is simply the absence of good, darkness the absence of light, cold the absence of heat, and death the loss of life. And though this philosophical distinction may not seem that interesting to some, and confusing to others, it is a helpful truth to ponder in light of today’s Gospel.
Today’s Gospel tells us that failure to “eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood” results in death. Death is the loss of life, and the Eucharist is the source of life. Jesus says that if you fail to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, “you do not have life within you.”
This bold teaching of Jesus should cause us to stop and examine our approach to the Most Holy Eucharist. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that going to Mass and receiving Communion is something we do as a “favor” to our Lord. But in truth, it’s God’s most profound favor to us, because the Eucharist is the gateway to eternal life. And without it, we have no life within us. Our spirits die because we lose the presence of God.
Looking at the negative effect of not receiving the Most Holy Eucharist can be very useful. Sometimes we need to consider the consequences of our actions as a way of motivating us to greater fidelity. For that reason, considering the fact that failure to eat the Flesh of the Son of God results in death should be very motivating. It should fill us with a holy fear of the loss of the life-giving presence of God within us. This “holy fear” is a true gift from God and is, in fact, one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Reflect, today, upon your interior attitude toward the Most Holy Eucharist. Do you see your participation in the Holy Mass more as a favor you offer to our Lord? Or do you see it as it is: the life-giving source of eternal life? Reflect upon how important this precious gift truly is and recommit yourself to a faithful and devout participation in this most holy Gift.
My Eucharistic Lord, Your Flesh and Blood are truly the source of eternal life for all who receive You in faith. I thank You, dear Lord, for this most precious Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist, and I pray that I will be filled with a deep hunger and thirst for You always. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured images above: Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro) 1400-1455. Florence. The Sermon on the Mount, via flickr
Previous episodes
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2116 - Friday of the Third Week of Easter - A "Holy Fear" Thu, 18 Apr 2024
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2115 - Thursday of the Third Week of Easter - The Flesh of Our Lord Wed, 17 Apr 2024
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2114 - Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter - Holy Sight Tue, 16 Apr 2024
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2113 - Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter - The Bread of Life Mon, 15 Apr 2024
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2112 - Monday of the Third Week of Easter - Food for Eternity Sun, 14 Apr 2024
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2111 - Third Sunday of Easter (Year B) - Spiritual Knowledge From Within Sat, 13 Apr 2024
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2110 - Saturday of the Second Week of Easter - Do Not Be Afraid Fri, 12 Apr 2024
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2109 - Friday of the Second Week of Easter - Superabundance Thu, 11 Apr 2024
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2108 - Thursday of the Second Week of Easter - The Meaning of Love Wed, 10 Apr 2024
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2107 - Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter - A Summary of Clarity Tue, 09 Apr 2024
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2106 - Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter - A "Holy Push" Mon, 08 Apr 2024
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2105 - Solemnity of the Annunciation - Let it Be Sun, 07 Apr 2024
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2104 - Divine Mercy Sunday (Year B) - Eternal Contemplation of God’s Mercy Sat, 06 Apr 2024
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2103 - Saturday in the Octave of Easter - The Beauty of Repentance Fri, 05 Apr 2024
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2102 - Friday in the Octave of Easter - The Mystery of the Resurrection Thu, 04 Apr 2024
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2101 - Thursday in the Octave of Easter - Becoming a Witness to the Truth Wed, 03 Apr 2024
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2100 - Wednesday in the Octave of Easter - The Word of God Burning Within Tue, 02 Apr 2024
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2099 - Tuesday in the Octave of Easter - Cling to Jesus Now! Mon, 01 Apr 2024
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2098 - Monday in the Octave of Easter - Humility in the Face of the Resurrection Sun, 31 Mar 2024
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2097 - Easter Sunday (Year B) - Glory Beyond Imagination! Sat, 30 Mar 2024
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2096 - Holy Saturday with Mother Mary Fri, 29 Mar 2024
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2095 - Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Year B) - “I Thirst!” Thu, 28 Mar 2024
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2094 - Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Year B) - Eucharistic Freedom Wed, 27 Mar 2024
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2093 - Wednesday of Holy Week - Rejecting Empty Promises Tue, 26 Mar 2024
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2092 - Tuesday of Holy Week - The Glory of God in All Things Mon, 25 Mar 2024
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2091 - Monday of Holy Week - Expressing Your Love of God Sun, 24 Mar 2024
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2090 - Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Year B) - Hosanna! To the Suffering Christ! Sat, 23 Mar 2024
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2089 - Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent - The Effects of Jesus’ Ministry Fri, 22 Mar 2024
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2088 - Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent - Entering the Desert Thu, 21 Mar 2024
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2087 - Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent - Living in the Moment Wed, 20 Mar 2024
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2086 - Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent - The Truth Will Set You Free Tue, 19 Mar 2024
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2085 - March 19, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary - The Greatness of Saint Joseph Mon, 18 Mar 2024
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2084 - Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent - Public Sinners Sun, 17 Mar 2024
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2083 - The Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B) - Suffering Transformed by Glory Sat, 16 Mar 2024
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2082 - Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent - Attacks From the evil one Fri, 15 Mar 2024
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2081 - Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent - The New Moses Thu, 14 Mar 2024
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2080 - Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent - Human or Divine Praise? Wed, 13 Mar 2024
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2079 - Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent - Amazement and Awe Tue, 12 Mar 2024
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2078 - Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent - Patient Endurance Mon, 11 Mar 2024
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2077 - Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent - Faith in All Things Sun, 10 Mar 2024
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2076 - The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year B) - Seeking the Full Truth Sat, 09 Mar 2024
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2075 - Saturday of the Third Week of Lent - Being Justified by Mercy Fri, 08 Mar 2024
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2074 - Friday of the Third Week of Lent - Hold Nothing Back Thu, 07 Mar 2024
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2073 - Thursday of the Third Week of Lent - The Kingdom of God is Upon Us Wed, 06 Mar 2024
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2072 - Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent - The Height of the New Law Tue, 05 Mar 2024
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2071 - Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent - Forgiving From the Heart Mon, 04 Mar 2024
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2070 - Monday of the Third Week of Lent - The Permissive Will of God Sun, 03 Mar 2024
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2069 - The Third Sunday of Lent (Year B) - A Dual Cleansing Sat, 02 Mar 2024
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2068 - Saturday of the Second Week of Lent - Consolation for the Repentant Sinner Fri, 01 Mar 2024
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2067 - Friday of the Second Week of Lent - Building the Kingdom Thu, 29 Feb 2024