The Year of the Holy Eucharist (November 21, 2021 - June 11, 2023)
To rekindle reverence and understanding of the Most Blessed Sacrament and to thank God for the august gift of Himself for our salvation, all parishes in the Diocese of Springfield is observing a special Year of the Eucharist from Sunday, November 21, 2021 (Feast of Christ the King) to June 11, 2023 (the External Feast of Corpus Christi).
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From Bishop Byrne's June 18th, 2021 interview with iObserve.org:
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“We have a couple generations of people who don’t realize that Jesus Christ is truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Studies show that people think it’s a symbol. Jesus didn’t say I’ll feed you with a symbol, he said I’ll feed you with my Body and Blood,” Bishop Byrne said. “He’s God, so if he says this is my Body, it happens.” “So, it’s to help us realize the gift and look at how we celebrate that gift and how we encourage people and how we worship,” he said. “So, the Eucharist can be transformative and re-catechize, if you will, and reinvigorate the church.”
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RESOURCES TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO RECEIVE THE LORD'S ABUNDANT GRACES DURING THIS SPECIAL YEAR:
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Is your soul clean (in a state of grace, without mortal sin) and prepared to receive our Lord in the Eucharist?​
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PRAYERS BEFORE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION
My Lord Jesus Christ! I believe that Thou art truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. I believe that in Holy Communion I receive Thy Sacred Body and Thy Precious Blood. My faith in Thy real presence in the Holy Eucharist is firmly founded on Thy word, O eternal Truth. My Savior and my God, with the angels who surround Thy altar-throne, I bow down in humble adoration before Thy majesty.
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O my Jesus! I love Thee because Thou art infinitely good. Thou knowest well that I love Thee, but I do not love Thee enough. Oh, make me to love Thee more! O love which burns always and never fails, my God, Who art charity itself, come and kindle in my heart that Divine Fire which consumes the saints and transforms them into Thee. Eucharistic Heart of my Jesus, whose blood is the life of my soul, may it be no longer I that live, but do Thou alone live within me.
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My Lord and my God! I detest all the sins of my life. I am truly sorry that I have offended Thee, because Thou are infinitely good. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, never to offend Thee again, and carefully to avoid the occasions of sin. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy.
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O Jesus! Thou hast given us in the Holy Eucharist Thy Body and Blood to be our spiritual nourishment, through which we may have life everlasting. Would that I could approach Thy Holy Table to be united with Thee in the Blessed Sacrament! I desire, with all my heart, to receive this living Bread which came down from Heaven.
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PRAYERS AFTER RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION
Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas
I give thanks to Thee, O Lord, most holy, Father almighty, eternal God, that Thou hast vouchsafed, for no merit of mine own, but out of Thy pure mercy, to appease the hunger of my soul with the precious body and blood of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly I implore Thee, let not this holy communion be to me an increase of guilt unto my punishment, but an availing plea unto pardon and salvation. Let it be to me the armour of faith and the shield of good will. May it root out from my heart all vice; may it utterly subdue my evil passions and all my unruly desires. May it perfect me in charity and patience; in humility and obedience; and in all other virtues. May it be my sure defence against the snares laid for me by my enemies, visible and invisible. May it restrain and quiet all my evil impulses, and make me ever cleave to Thee Who art the one true God. May I owe to it a happy ending of my life. And do Thou, O heavenly Father, vouchsafe one day to call me, a sinner, to that ineffable banquet, where Thou, together with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art to Thy saints true and unfailing light, fullness of content, joy for evermore, gladness without alloy, consummate and everlasting happiness. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST PRAYER
