Holiness and love for Jesus in the Eucharist
St. Joseph Allamano’s love for Jesus in the Eucharist found expression in the gift of self, tireless in acting without losing intimate communion with Jesus. His day revolved around Jesus, He was truly the centre, he left Him and returned to Him constantly. The day was divided into a time of preparation for the meeting in the Eucharistic celebration and then a time of thanksgiving. In this way, He extended Jesus’ presence throughout the day.
The same love inspired his missionary commitment. On several occasions he expressed the joy of making Jesus present in places where he was not yet known and loved: “How pleased I am that through us God is multiplying the number of tabernacles in the world. So many new tabernacles! They are the focus of love for us and mercy for the people. How blessed we are to have already so many in our missions. I believe, nay I am convinced, that they bring down blessings on those lands.” (This I want you to be, n. 151).
Invocations
At the height of his life, Jesus breaks himself at the Passover meal with the disciples. In this way Jesus shows us that the goal of life lies in giving oneself, that the greatest thing is to serve.
- And today we find the greatness of God in a piece of bread, in a fragility that overflows with love, overflows with sharing.
The experience of Jesus’ unconditional love warms the heart and moves it irresistibly to answer with the same love,
- and to become also broken bread for mankind loved by God.
The Eucharist heals because it unites us to Jesus: it makes us in the likeness of His way of life, His ability to break and give ourselves to others, to answer evil with good.
- It gives us the courage to come out of ourselves and to bend down with love to the fragilities of others. As God does with us.
Let us pray:
Merciful Father,
through the intercession of St. Joseph Allamano,
we pray to you for the Church,
so that, following the example of Jesus,
“bread broken and wine poured out” for all,
she may be a concrete sign in the world of God’s care
and tenderness for every man and woman. Amen.
