"Do this in memory of me." Jesus first spoke these words to His disciples as they gathered with Him in the Upper Room to eat the Passover meal on the eve of His Passion. He continues to speak these words at every Mass, at the end of the consecration of the bread and wine into His Body and Blood. As He gives the great gift of the Eucharist, He also gives this command: "Do this in memory of me."

There is a twofold meaning to this phrase which would benefit reflection during these years of Eucharistic Revival.

First, Jesus commissioned the Twelve to do what He had done in the Upper Room. They were to take ordinary bread and wine which, through the power of the Holy Spirit, become His Body and Blood, and share that gift with His disciples as nourishment for eternal life. Thus, the Eucharist is described as "the source and summit of the Christian life" (cf. Lumen Gentium, 11). It is considered a source because it re-presents Christ’s saving sacrifice on the Cross and His triumph over sin and death in the Resurrection. The life of a Christian flows out from this mystery of redemption. The Eucharist is also seen as a summit because it offers a foretaste of Heaven’s glory, sharing eternal life in communion with God, angels, and all saints. Through Christ's true presence in the Eucharist, believers are sacramentally united now in anticipation of perfect unity hoped for in Heaven.

With "Do this in memory of me," Jesus intended that His disciples throughout ages be spiritually nourished by this sacramental meal.

Second, through these words Jesus directs all disciples to conform their lives to selfless love exemplified by Him and evident in the mystery of the Eucharist. "Do this" not only commands celebration of the Sacrament but reminds each individual to give themselves for others' good, unite their sacrifices with that on the Cross, and live inspired by hope shared through Resurrection's glory.

A Christian living a Eucharistic life does more than attend Mass or receive Holy Communion; they allow Christ’s Real Presence received in Eucharist to transform hearts, minds, and wills so lives increasingly radiate God’s love—a world desperately needing grace.

The infinite love present in Eucharist calls for continual growth in awareness of God's love for humanity, acknowledgment of need for mercy, dependence on grace gifts. Believers should never consider divine love exhausted nor believe full conformity achieved; God continually offers more for reception and transformation.

May grace be granted to live more deeply Eucharistic lives during this period of revival—renewing God's life-giving presence within each heart.

___