St. Peter Julian Eymard: Apostle of the Eucharist

April is the month dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament and so in this month, it is appropriate to highlight the saint known as the “Apostle of the Eucharist” even though his official feast day is in August. It is St. Peter Julian Eymard, a French priest who lived from 1811 to 1868 and left the Marists to found a community of priests consecrated to the Blessed Sacrament and dedicated to catechizing those who had given up practicing the faith so that they might be prepared to receive Jesus well. St. Peter was on fire with love for the Eucharistic Lord and emphasized the great love that Christ had for mankind in order to give Himself to them. We can use his example to help strengthen our own love for Jesus in the Eucharist and then spread that love to others.

St. Peter taught that it was a joy to receive Holy Communion often, and that by receiving it often, “Jesus will change you into Himself.” He said that our whole life ought to be drawn to the Eucharist like a magnet. We can go to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and tell him what we are thinking, what’s upsetting us, and what we want. We carry our treasure everywhere, St. Peter says, and become happy through this interior conversation. Once we discover this happiness, we can share it with others and proclaim Jesus to those who don’t know Him. We must work to spread devotion and love for the Eucharist so that others can be changed into Jesus by reception of Him and experience the happiness of conversing with Him in adoration, in turn continuing to spread the message to others.

St. Peter also wrote the Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It’s too lengthy to write out here, but you can find it here at EWTN Great Britain. We can ask for St. Peter’s intercession to help us grow in devotion and love for the Eucharist and for the zeal to proclaim the message of Christ’s love for us in the Eucharist to others. St. Peter Julian Eymard, pray for us!