Stay Hungry 

In her recent address to the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Sr. Josephine Garrett said that a Eucharistic revival will only move forward if built on a two-legged foundation. One leg is greater reverence for His sacred presence – above all in the Eucharist, as well as in our neighbor. The other leg, she said, is repentance. Repentance is hard for us, however, because it brings with it a feeling of spiritual hunger that we find uncomfortable, like the discomfort of physical hunger. 

Because we do not like the feeling of hunger, we always try to eat until we are full. But in our relationship with Him, Our Lord does not allow us to feel completely satisfied until our pilgrimage through this life is done and we have reached the promised land of heaven. Because we want to feel spiritually and emotionally full now, however, we turn to other things that promise present satisfaction. This is nothing new. Garrett points to the ancient Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years after their liberation from bondage in Egypt. During the journey, they felt great hunger. They grumble against God and His servant Moses, saying it would have been better to remain in Egypt as slaves with full bellies. Similarly, in our spiritual hunger, you and I are tempted to give up our life of discipleship and return to the sins that promise satisfaction and satiety, but which enslave us, make us sad, and lead to spiritual and moral death.  

So, what are we to do? Garrett offers us the spiritual counsel of Mother Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, the foundress of her congregation: “Let not your faults or failures surprise you; do not become indignant over them. Rest assured, the Lord is pleased a thousand-fold more by a soul that is susceptible to many falls, but who knowing her weakness turns to God in humility, than by another who is less prone to fall and is seemingly more perfect but is self-confident and self-sufficient.” 

And so, we must try not to escape the hunger, but rest in it with the Lord. That’s where He offers to heal our wounded and broken hearts. It’s hard, Garrett says, because sometimes, “God seems so slow,” and, “we get tired of waiting” for healing. The problem is, “we have gotten into this habit that thinking that everything is supposed to be [completely healed] here on earth and we grow weary of being broken. And then we sin. But we are all going to be broken pilgrims until we reach the end.” This doesn’t mean Our Lord is not faithful. “Rest assured, you will be healed, provided you make a sincere effort to devote yourself to the sacramental life of the Church and the building of the Kingdom.” Like the manna that fed the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness, the Eucharist, which is a foretaste of the fullness of life to come, is the food that sustains us along the way as we look forward in joy and hope to the good things of heaven. A pilgrim needs two strong legs to reach his destination. Repentance makes us hunger for the Eucharist, by which Christ feeds the repentant heart, giving us strength to persevere to the end.  

In Christ, 

Fr. John 

PS: During the month of August I will take a break from writing weekly articles. I’ll resume publishing them after Labor Day.