Joy in the Eucharist
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Originally published with the Title: “Be Eucharist to Everyone”
A Eucharistic person seeks to emulate Our Lord, as much as possible. We must BE who we receive, and that is Our Lord Jesus Christ. That is what St. Francis meant, when addressing the early friars, he said: "Remember your dignity, then, my friar-priests. You shall make and keep yourselves holy, because God is holy. In this mystery God has honored you above all other human beings, and so you must love, revere, and honor him more than all others." When we receive Him at Holy Mass frequently, we are a Eucharistic people, and in this respect Saint Francis was also talking to us.
Think in your prayer life of people of the whole world. There are many non-Catholic people because Catholicism just isn't a part of the culture they grew up with. God loves them also. And let's get one thing straight, there are millions of Muslims and only a tiny fraction of them, not to be mentioned in the same breath, are people who want to hurt this Nation, just as among our people, there are some who are anti-social and anti-society. God loves them also as basic human beings, part of his creation, but He does not love their sin. Thus, as St. Francis did, and he is a champion in this respect, we should love all people regardless of the limitations society may place of them. So to everyone we should BE EUCHARIST and treat them as Our Lord would treat us.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
November 6, 2021, revised August 5, 2026