The Eucharist Enkindles Zeal and Zeal Regenerates the Church

Jesus said, “I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (Luke 12:49).

Do you want to spread the Catholic Faith? Do you desire to see  your friends and family living full and abundant Catholic lives? Do you long to see our Church transformed into a truly holy people of God? I sure do! Then I need to listen to the saints who tell us that the “Eucharist is the divine flame at which the apostles must light their lamp if they wish to inflame souls” (Mateo Crowley).

This is because the Eucharist is:

• Light for whoever must illumine the minds of men and women.
• Fire for whoever must kindle in their hearts the love of God.
• Grace for whoever must persuade them to obey the laws of God.
• Strength for whoever must battle sin and resist the devil.

“To be devoted to the Eucharist, is a guarantee of a fruitful apostolate and of certain and great sanctity” (Mateo Crowley).

Working in the apostolate and doing our best to grow in holiness can be exhausting! 

“How can the fatigue of apostolic work be sustained without the strength that comes from the Eucharist?” (Blessed James Alberione).

The holier and more united to Christ we are, the more fruitful our apostolate for others will be. The Church teaches us that whoever receives Communion well WILL become a saint because the Eucharist makes us soldiers trained for battle, lions breathing fire against Satan and against sin!

The martyrs are a clear example of this. We know from Church history that after they had received the Eucharist, the martyrs sang as they went toward the arena and to their death.

This is beautifully illustrated in the story of Saints Perpetua and Felicity.

This is from the Magnificat Magazine for Thursday, March 7 written by Kathryn Rombs, Ph.D.

The Saints Undivided Union with Jesus

One remarkable account of martyrdom in the early Church is that of two mothers, Saints Perpetua and Felicity. Perpetua was a young woman, twenty-two years of age, of noble birth and well educated, and the mother of an infant. When she was accused of being a Christian, her father begged her to renounce her faith. He said that he prized her above all her brothers and that she was the light of his life. Perpetua was unwilling to renounce her Christian faith and grieved that her father and her other family members could not rejoice with her in her impending martyrdom. She was put in a dungeon with other Christians.

Felicity was a servant who was eight months pregnant. She, too, refused to renounce her faith and was put in the same prison. Pregnant women were not permitted to be publicly tortured. As a remarkable testimony of her faith, she prayed fervently for the early birth of her child so that she could be martyred with the others. The other prisoners joined her in passionate prayers to God for the delivery of the baby. Miraculously, their prayers were granted, and Felicity’s sister took the child and raised her as her own daughter.

The soldier who guarded them was amazed at the holiness of the Christian prisoners, including the two young mothers. He allowed many visitors to come and be encouraged by them. [Some of those visitors secretly brought them the Eucharist to strengthen them.] On the day of their martyrdom, Perpetua, Felicity, and their companions entered the amphitheater with joyous and brilliant countenances. Perpetua walked as though the bride of Christ, assured of being loved by God. Felicity rejoiced  and regarded the blood she was about to shed as the second cleansing after childbirth, a second baptism. When Felicity was knocked down, Perpetua extended her hand and helped her up. Eventually the two women were destroyed by the beasts and the swords of the gladiators.

This account of the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity portrays the women willingly facing their death, in the pattern of Christ, who willingly gave himself up for us on the cross. His death was purposeful and efficacious. So too, the early Church martyrs saw their deaths as meritorious, and counted it a privilege to be among those who walked in the steps of Christ. 

The Blood of Martyrs - The Zeal of the Martyrs - Regenerates the Church

"The Church is “regenerated” by the sacrifice of the martyrs. They don’t die for nothing. For one thing, their witness has led to even more Christians walking the earth. Secondly, the intercession of these saints, now reigning in heaven with Christ the King, are able to pray for us. Believe it or not, those prayers are even more powerful than their witness here on earth. Their prayers strengthen and fortify us so that we may have the courage to lay down our lives for God" (Nicholas LaBlanca).

I don't know about you, but I am so inspired by this so I need to put my inspiration into action and take the necessary steps to let the Eucharist transform me!