The month of April holds special significance in the Catholic Church as it is the month of the Holy Eucharist, also known as the Blessed Sacrament. God communicates grace to the faithful through all the Church Sacraments, but the Holy Eucharist communicates the Author of Grace, Himself. It is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ with us.
Pope Benedict XVI tells us in his Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis, “In the Eucharist, Jesus does not give us a ‘thing,’ but himself; he offers his own body and pours out his own blood. He thus gives us the totality of his life and reveals the ultimate origin of this love. He is the eternal Son, given to us by the Father.”
April’s devotion offers a time for reflection, gratitude, and solemn celebration of the Holy Eucharist. This article will explore many aspects of April’s dedication to the Holy Eucharist, discussing a few of the many saints associated with this devotion, and options for participation and further study. We will close with Catholic prayers fitting for this devotion.
Why is April Dedicated to the Holy Eucharist?
For centuries, the Catholic Church has designated a specific devotion for each month of the year. April has traditionally been dedicated to the Holy Eucharist. This is thought to be due to the Sacred Triduum, the three days immediately preceding Easter, most often falling in April. On the first day of the Triduum, Holy Thursday, Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper.
The Church offers various liturgical celebrations, devotions, and reflections on the Holy Eucharist in April to emphasize the fundamental truth that the consecrated Bread and Wine are Christ Himself renewing His sacrifice upon the altar. And hidden under the appearance of the Host, He is substantially bodily present in all the tabernacles of the world, mindful of His promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
The month of April is a special time for Catholics to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Christ in the Eucharistic, as the source, summit, and sustenance of our faith.
Key Catholic Feast Days in April
April is a month rich in liturgical celebrations for the Lenten and Easter seasons. Each year the dates may vary, but some of the notable feast days usually include:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, which make up The Sacred Triduum, as mentioned above:
Again, Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles. It includes the ritual of the washing of the feet and the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is a day of fasting, abstinence, solemn reflection, and mourning.
Holy Saturday is a day of great silence, as Christ is in the tomb, though He is not inactive. His body is silent, but He descends into Hell, or Hades, to free the just captives who died prior to His death on the cross.
Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is The Catholic Feast Day upon which our hope rests, annually reminding the faithful of Christ’s victory and authority over death. It is Our Resurrected Christ Who resides in the Tabernacle and communes with us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, on April 29, celebrates the Dominican mystic, theologian, and Doctor of the Church known for her efforts to bring peace and unity within the Church. She had a vibrant love for Jesus in the Eucharist and spent the last 7 years of her life taking no food into her body other than the Holy Eucharist. Yet, she had the energy to fulfill God’s daily will for her, accomplishing great things.
Catholic Saints and the Holy Eucharist
Many other saints throughout history have had a deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist. Among them are Saint John Paul II, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, and Saint Alphonsus Liguori.
Saint John Paul II highlighted the importance of the Holy Eucharist in his Address to the Young People of Bologna. He said, “The Eucharist is the secret of my day. It gives strength and meaning to all my activities of service to the Church and to the whole world.”
Later in the same address, he mentioned the Adoration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, “Let Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament speak to your hearts. It is he who is the true answer of life that you seek. He stays here with us [in the Blessed Sacrament]: He is God with us. Seek him without tiring, welcome him without reserve, love him without interruption: today, tomorrow, forever!”
Saint Peter Julian Eymard, known as the Apostle of the Eucharist, founded the Society of the Blessed Sacrament the the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament, and he composed the Litany of the Blessed Sacrament (see below). He once said, “The Eucharist is the supreme proof of the love of Jesus. After this, there is nothing more but Heaven itself.”
Saint Alphonsus Liguori in his treatise Visits to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin states, “in the consecrated Host Jesus Christ is really present under the species of bread. . . . [H]e is thus present on our altars as on a throne of love and mercy, to dispense graces and there to show us the love which he bears us, by being pleased to dwell night and day hidden in the midst of us.”
8 Ways to Grow in Devotion to the Holy Eucharist this April
Here are a few ideas to help you dedicate April to the Holy Eucharist in your life and home.
- Prayerfully participate in the Mass, especially during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The better our disposition and preparation for the Sacraments, the more abundant graces will flow.
- Go to Confession. Remember, we must be in a state of grace to receive our Lord in Holy Communion. And even confessing venial sins can better prepare you for Communion.
- Commit to a weekly time slot at an Adoration Chapel at your church or one nearby. This practice fosters a deep sense of reverence and awe for the Eucharistic mystery and offers time for mental prayer before Our Lord. Perpetual Adoration may be available to accommodate a busy schedule.
- Learn more about the Eucharistic Revival and how you can get involved.
- Attend a seminar, retreat, or bible study focused on the theology of the Eucharist and its transformative impact on the lives of the faithful.
- Go to daily Mass during the week to pray and receive Our Lord. Remember, you don’t have to wait until Sunday to receive the Eucharist! And there are manifold graces to be received at every Mass. As Saint Lawrence Justinian reminds us: “No human tongue can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinner is reconciled with God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices are uprooted; virtue and merit increase; and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.”
- Take time after each Mass to pray in gratitude for the Holy Eucharist. The word “Eucharist” means thanksgiving, and there is no greater gift to be thankful for than the gift of Christ’s presence with us.
- Lastly, memorize Scripture verses that highlight the Holy Eucharist. For example, “Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53). “While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26). “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)
Further Reading on the Holy Eucharist
Several books provide valuable insights for those interested in deepening their understanding of this devotion.
- Mystery of the Altar: Daily Meditations on the Eucharist – St. Paul Center by Kenneth J. Howell and Joseph Crownwood. Voices of the saints and meditations covering wide-ranging applications of Eucharistic truth to our lives. A companion for Eucharistic adoration or personal prayer.
- The Blessed Sacrament: The Works and Ways of God by Fr. Frederick William Faber, This work fosters a reverential awe and love for God’s greatest work in the institution of the Summit of the Sacraments, the Holy Eucharist. The theology of transubstantiation is discussed as well as descriptions of Our Lord’s five Eucharistic sufferings.
- The Sacrament of Love, Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Benedict XVI. Will deepen understanding and guide you to participate more fully, actively, and consciously in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Holy Communion with a holy disposition.
- Visits to the Blessed Sacrament by St. Alphonsus Liguori, reflection/meditation for each of 31 visits to the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- With Us Today – HFS Books by John A. Hardon, S.J. explains Church teaching about transubstantiation, the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus himself to nourish us with His flesh and blood and to be physically present with us always.
Prayers Honoring the Holy Eucharist
The principal Eucharistic prayers are contained within The Liturgy of the Eucharist and said during Mass. These prayers are offered to God by the priest acting in the person of Christ. The faithful join their hearts with the Heart of Christ during these prayers.
The following are a few of the many other prayers honoring the Eucharist that can be said by the faithful during Mass, Adoration, or at any time.
Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament.
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
An aspiration:
May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time! Amen
A prayer by Fr. John A. Hardon
from his book, With Us Today: “Lord Jesus, You instituted the Holy Eucharist to be our constant Companion all through life. You gave us the Blessed Sacrament in order to be with us, day and night, until the dawn of eternity. We believe the Holy Eucharist is Yourself, present among us just as truly as You were present among Your disciples in the first century of Christianity. Deepen our faith in Your Real Presence now on Earth, hidden in the Holy Eucharist, a prelude to that everlasting Eucharist when You will be with us for all eternity. Deepen our faith in Your Eucharistic Presence in our midst. Strengthen our trust in You. Above all, deepen our love for You hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, until we see You face to face in that everlasting day for which we were made. Amen.
Conclusion
Dedicating April to the Holy Eucharist allows us to focus our hearts and minds on the profound mystery of the Eucharist—the real presence of Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity. As we consider this profound Mystery of our Faith, let us, with hearts of deep gratitude and thanksgiving, fervently ask Our Lord Jesus for the graces to grow in devotion and love for Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament. And as Christ fills us with His presence at each Mass, we will be equipped to participate in His salvific work by living our Faith boldly in a world that desperately needs to see Jesus reflected in the life of every faithful Catholic today.
