He Thirsts for You

Back in March of this year, who would have thought that September would find us still “in the trenches” fighting COVID-19? And yet here we are. At the beginning of this pandemic, many Catholics felt keenly the loss of Holy Communion, and it was a true agony for them to go through Lent, Holy Week, and Easter without being able to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist.

Now, as the country begins to adjust to norms like wearing masks and social distancing, churches have begun to reopen. However, they are still far from full — even with the reduced capacity mandated by various state laws. Some Catholics have reported that, to their dismay, they no longer have that deep longing for Holy Communion that they experienced when first deprived of Mass. Being on a spiritual “starvation diet” for so long, they have reached the point where they no longer feel the sharp ache of their soul’s hunger. The Church is very much aware of this, and the Holy See has recently issued a call for dioceses to make re-instituting public Masses a priority. Holy Mother Church wants to make sure her children receive the spiritual nourishment they desperately need during these challenging times!

However, on a personal level, how does one rekindle a desire to receive our Sacramental Lord?

Perhaps the key lies not so much in looking at ourselves as looking at Him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “Prayer is … a response of love to the thirst of the only Son of God.” (CCC 2561) The thirst of God? Yes, in some mysterious way, our all-holy, all-perfect God thirsts for each one of us, for the love that only we can give. Day after day, He comes down to our altars with the burning desire to unite Himself to us. As St Therese said, “He does not come down from Heaven to remain in a golden ciborium!”

The Eucharist is also the Sacrament par excellence of the Sacred Heart, that great symbol of God’s infinite love for mankind. In fact, in miracle after miracle throughout history, consecrated Hosts have been visibly transformed into the flesh of a Heart — His Heart. And that Heart is consumed with love for YOU. God’s love is never divided; He loves each person as if he or she were the only one in the world. And He died not just generically “for all mankind,” but for each person individually. YOU were in His mind and on His Heart as He hung on the Cross!

Such an incredible love can help rekindle our own love and desire for Him. If you are struggling with a lack of desire for Holy Communion, let your heart catch a “spark” from the flaming Heart of Jesus! He waits for you — He thirsts for You.