Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Have you ever approached Holy Communion with reverence, fulfilled every external gesture, and yet returned to your pew feeling that something was missing?

I know this feeling well. As a young priest, I received the Body of Christ with faith and devotion. I extended my hands, made the sign of the cross, and believed I had fulfilled a sacred act. And yet, deep within my soul, there was often an emptiness—an unease I could not explain. It was as though I had touched the divine but had not fully embraced Him.

Many faithful experience this same quiet frustration: “Jesus is there… but why does my heart feel unchanged?”

Today, as Leo XIV, successor of Peter and shepherd of the universal Church, I wish to share a truth that the Lord revealed to me over many years of priesthood and prayer:

👉 The Eucharist is not a ritual to be completed but a living encounter with Jesus Christ—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—who longs to transform us from within.

The Eucharist Is a Living Encounter, Not a Symbol

My journey toward this understanding began in a small parish in my native diocese. One Sunday, as I elevated the consecrated Host and pronounced the words “This is My Body,” I felt an overwhelming presence—heaven bending toward earth.

In that moment, I understood with clarity:
I was not holding bread.
I was holding the Creator of the universe, the Word made flesh, the Savior who died and rose again.

Yet I also realized something painful: my heart was not fully prepared to receive such a gift. Distractions, worldly concerns, and unconfessed sins had dulled my interior openness.

In silent prayer before the tabernacle, the Lord made me understand: The Eucharist is not a symbol, not a memory, not a habit. It is Christ Himself, given in infinite love.

From that day forward, my approach to Holy Communion changed forever.

The Danger of Routine Communion

Brothers and sisters, let us be honest.
Even devout Catholics can fall into the trap of routine.

We receive Communion weekly—or even daily—while our minds remain divided:

worries about work,

family problems,

unresolved conflicts,

unconfessed sin.

In such moments, Communion becomes mechanical rather than transformative.

I once spoke with a faithful parishioner named Maria who told me through tears:

“Father, I receive Communion every Sunday, but something is missing.”

When I asked how she prepared her heart, she admitted she often repeated prayers without reflection.

The saints teach us otherwise.

Jesus Himself says: “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me and I in him.”

(John 6:56)

This is not a superficial act—it is an intimate union meant to transform our entire life.

Preparing the Heart: The Portal to Heaven

1. Examination of Conscience and Confession

Before each Mass, I spend time in silence before the tabernacle. Preparation begins with honesty before God.

St. Paul warns us:

“Let a man examine himself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.”
(1 Corinthians 11:28)

Confession is not a punishment—it is a gift. Without a clean heart, Eucharistic grace cannot fully penetrate the soul.

2. The Fast of the Soul

Beyond the one-hour Eucharistic fast, there is a deeper fast—the fast of the soul.

This means setting aside:

distractions,

noise,

digital overload,

restless thoughts.

Jesus speaks most clearly in silence.

St. Teresa of Ávila wrote: “A soul that does not pray is like a body that does not breathe.”

Sometimes, all that is needed is a simple prayer: “Lord, here I am. Make my heart a clean manger for You.”

Speaking to Jesus During Communion: A Living Dialogue

The words we speak when receiving Communion are not formulas. They are a dialogue of love.

One day, while celebrating Mass alone, I felt the Lord whisper to my heart: “Do not make Me a stranger. Speak to Me as to your friend.”

That day I said simply: “Jesus, stay with me, for without You I am lost.”

From that moment on, Communion became a conversation—not a ritual.

Words That Transform

You may say:

“Jesus, I love You.”

“Lord, heal me.”

“Stay with me.”

“Make my heart Your home.”

He does not seek eloquence—He seeks sincerity.

The Power of Silence After Communion

One of the greatest treasures of the spiritual life is silence after Communion.

In a Benedictine monastery, I observed monks remaining still after receiving the Eucharist. When I asked why, the abbot replied: “We do nothing. We are simply with Jesus.”

That silence changed my life.

Why Silence Matters

Jesus is closer to you then than at any other moment

Grace works quietly

The soul listens instead of speaks

Scripture reminds us: “Be still and know that I am God.”

(Psalm 46:10)

I strongly encourage dedicating 10–15 minutes after Communion to silent thanksgiving whenever possible.

Signs That the Eucharist Is Transforming You

A fruitful Communion bears visible spiritual fruit:

✔ Greater Love for God and Neighbor

✔ Detachment from Worldly Attachments

✔ Hunger for Prayer

✔ Strength Against Temptation

✔ Deep Interior Peace

✔ Capacity to Forgive

✔ Desire to Serve Others

As St. Augustine taught: “You become what you receive.”

The Eucharist Makes Us Broken Bread for Others

The Eucharist is not meant to end at the altar.

Christ gives Himself to us so that we may give ourselves to others.

Mother Teresa said:

“The Eucharist is Jesus giving Himself to me, so I can give myself to others.”

Every true Communion sends us into the world as:

witnesses of mercy,

instruments of reconciliation,

bearers of Christ’s love.

Do Not Waste a Single Communion

Dear brothers and sisters,
Each Eucharist is a unique, unrepeatable encounter between heaven and earth.

Do not receive Communion out of habit.
Do not rush away from Jesus.
Do not settle for routine.

Prepare your heart.
Speak to Him.
Remain in silence.
Allow Him to transform you.

Receive Him:

with the humility of Joseph,

the reverence of Mary,

the fervor of the apostles.

May the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, teach us how to receive her Son.
May Jesus Christ, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, transform us into His living witnesses.

Amen.