The word Eucharist itself comes from the Greek word meaning “thanksgiving,” and I am so very thankful that I received knowledge of the meaning of the Eucharist when I was confirmed at age twelve. I understood that we do this in memory of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, but at the time I didn’t understand that it was a command from Jesus. I also did not comprehend the idea of it being spiritual nourishment. I don’t think any twelve-year-old does. It wasn’t until much later in my life, when I grew closer in my relationship with Jesus, that I started to understand it.
The more I prayed and followed Jesus’ will, the more I attended church and received the Eucharist with other believers, and the more I felt God’s presence and the Holy Spirit guiding me. Now, when I hear the word of God and partake in the Holy Sacraments, I am strengthened and blessed to be able to continue my journey here on Mother Earth with peace, comfort, and joy. I am with fellow Christians gathered in worship, becoming a part of the Body of Christ. It has helped me to live out my Christian faith daily and to witness Christ in every situation. I am definitely more grounded and at peace. When I miss church and the Eucharist, my week seems more trying and I feel off. Could this be my imagination? I think not.
Why do I think this way? I will tell you a story of how the Holy and undivided Trinity and the Eucharist have changed my life in how I deal with my daily problems and challenges. I have three beautiful children from my previous marriage — one son and two daughters. My oldest is my son, who lives in Calgary and doing great. My youngest daughter lives in Winnipeg and is also doing great, raising her son in a good way. But my middle child, who is now thirty-one, is homeless and is addicted to hard street drugs. I love my daughter so very much, but at the end of the day I can’t make her choices for her or tell her how to live; I have accepted that.
What I do know is that I can be in her life, providing home-cooked meals, warm clothes, a tent, blankets, and other necessities. When she has had places to live, it was usually a place where many other addicts were using — in stairwells and hallways. I would only go see her if Creator let me know that it was safe. I have been blessed in that way. I have climbed stairs up to her apartment, stepping over other addicts. One time I went there, and the stairs were on fire. The fire department put out the fire, and I proceeded to her apartment.
I have been to many encampments throughout the city and up and down the riverbank for going on eleven years. When I do get to see her and hug her, I am so very grateful to God, and I pray so much over her. I pray that she knows how loved she is and that she finds her true path. It is a bittersweet moment because, when I say my goodbyes to her, of course my heart is breaking all over again, and I don’t know if this is the last time I will see her. Yes, I am so grateful to God for seeing her, but as mother’s do, I worry about my children, and my mind starts to think about how rough the streets are. She could overdose at anytime. Is she warm? Is she hungry? Questions like this fill my mind often. She has been on missing persons lists when she hasn’t been seen for months. I know in my heart that should she die out there, then her suffering will be over, and she will be with Creator. If she lives, there is always hope.
How do I deal with all of this and remain strong and healthy? It is my purpose to do Creator’s work and help others, and so the only thing that works for me is centring my life and always returning to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt. This leads me back to church and the Holy Eucharist. I take all my worries and troubles to the Lord, and my faith and my heart are strengthened and renewed. When I take Communion, I feel safe knowing and feeling that Jesus is holding me, reassured the Holy Spirit is guiding me, and God our Creator is watching over me and protecting me. I feel loved unconditionally — this is crucial. I believe if we start our day focusing on God’s love for us, any hardships we face will be taken care of by the Lord. I feel and know that God’s never-ending love, guidance, and protection, surpass all understanding. I have greater empathy for the other homeless and lost people out there. I give what I can and try to help when I can.
Creator gave us free will to make our own decisions to choose how we live our own life. He never leaves us — in our best times and our worst. The Eucharist nourishes us both spiritually and literally. My faith and trust are unwavering, and my actions in helping my daughter and others who are homeless show Christ’s love in action. Reaching out with compassion and helping others is not easy, as you see suffering firsthand. But I know that Jesus is right there with me. When I close my eyes, breathe, and pray, I feel His presence and love flowing within me — something beyond myself. This, for me, is the living Eucharist.
When I watch the Eucharist being prepared at church, I am filled with gratitude to Jesus for giving us the covenant and the cup of salvation. His overwhelming presence through the Holy Spirit is so powerful and great. I am exactly where I need to be, and exactly where Creator wants me. In my traditional teachings, I sprinkle some cedar in my shoes when I go out to remind me how much Creator loves me, how much He has done for me, and for His continued protection. This practice is definitely not the same as the Eucharist, but it keeps me close to God, too.
When we are baptized it signifies a union of us with Christ and with one another. This is the community that partakes in the Eucharist. Do I think one must absolutely be baptized prior to taking the Eucharist? No. In Romans 10:10, it says, “For it is believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Having communion and praising Jesus with all your heart is enough because His love is totally unconditional and covers all people, even the unbaptized. That being said, I believe getting baptized is very important because it fulfills Jesus’ command and it symbolizes the washing away of the old life to embrace a spiritual new beginning with Christ. This marks the start of one’s journey as a follower of God and allows one to become a part of a community of believers who also follow Christ.
All of our answers to life’s struggles and challenges are in the Church. Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment because He loves us. He is the Son of God who was crucified for the sins of all of us. By eating the Body and drinking the Blood of Christ in Eucharist, we become united to the person of Christ through his humanity — we become Christlike. You have nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain by surrendering to Jesus and giving up your will to do God’s will.
