Eucharistic revival and synodality: essential to combat division and polarizationEucharistic Revival: Christ is Waiting for UsU.S. Bishops approve document on the EucharistPope Francis held a meeting with audience with the organizing committee of the National Eucharistic Congress of the United States. In addition to thanking the organizers for their work, Francis reminded the committee that "the Eucharist is God's response to the deepest hunger of the human heart, the hunger for authentic life, because in the Eucharist Christ himself is truly in our midst, to nourish, console and sustain us on our journey."
Many Catholics think that the Eucharist is a mere symbol and that God is not really present in the Bread and Wine. Therefore, Francis hopes "that the Eucharistic Congress will inspire Catholics throughout the country to rediscover a sense of wonder and awe before the Lord's great gift of Himself and to spend time with Him in the celebration of Holy Mass and in personal prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament."
The Pontiff noted with concern that "we have lost the meaning of adoration in our days. We must rediscover the meaning of silent adoration. It is a form of prayer that we have lost". The responsibility for undertaking this task falls on the bishops, who are charged with "catechizing the faithful about prayer through adoration."
Eucharist and mission
Through the Eucharist the faithful also learn to be apostles sent to proclaim the Gospel. This is one of the results the Pope hopes to observe after the congress. The Pope explained that, through the Eucharist, "we become credible witnesses of the joy and transforming beauty of the Gospel". Thanks to this sacrament we understand that the love of Christ cannot be kept to ourselves, "but demands to be shared with everyone."
Francis expressed that "the Eucharist impels us to a strong and committed love of neighbor". Considering Christ's own life, "we cannot truly understand and live the meaning of the Eucharist if our heart is closed to our brothers and sisters, especially the poor, the suffering, the weary or those who have gone astray in life".
The Pope concluded the audience by stressing the importance of the Eucharistic Congress within the life of the Church in the United States and asked the intercession of the Virgin Mary for all those involved.
