The Eucharist: A Need of the Heart of Jesus

Though overall it is a hard film to watch, there is a scene in Slumdog Millionaire that I absolutely love. The movie centers around a young man and a young woman, Jamal and Latika, who in their childhood help each other get through the incredible hardships of living in Indian slums. At one point they are tragically separated, and henceforth Jamal’s entire life revolves around finding her. In a no-cellphone, primitive internet era, he finds her years later acting as an imprisoned wife to an all-powerful mafia-type lord. After a brief encounter, he begs her to meet him at the train station at 5pm so that he can help her escape, recklessly hoping they can still be together forever. Here is what gets me: despite her protests that she cannot and will never come (it would mean both her own and Jamal’s imminent death), he promises to wait for her there every single day until she comes. And he does. And, eventually, she does come.

Is Not the Lord Waiting?

Is not our Lord, Jesus Eucharistia, the same? Waiting every single day in the tabernacle, in the monstrance for you, you in particular, to come to Him. He would be there, waiting for 2000 years ago, even if it were only for you, even if it were to be with you just once.

“He loved His own in the world and He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)

One of the core tenets of Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body is that the human person finds its fulfillment in self-giving love. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the human being par excellence, is no exception to this rule. His Heart could not and would not be satisfied until He did every single thing He possibly could have done to love us. He absolutely had to lay it all on the line. He did this for one space in time through His horrific passion and death, but in the Eucharist, he lays it all on the line in perpetuity, ‘even to the end of the age. ’(Matthew 28:20).

And so, full of that reckless passion and desire, but not without care and forethought, He makes Himself appear as almost nothing, at the expense of many of His own Christians failing to recognize Him. He does this at the expense of many Catholics falling into deep doubt and indifference about His presence with them. At the expense of even His enemies, whom He still loves dearly, abducting Him and desecrating Him. In His love He makes Himself a fool, less than a fool, a mere piece of bread, and at these great risks. But why? Just for the chance of total intimacy and unity with you and I, here and now. Love takes risks. Love forgets itself.

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22:15)

St. Peter Julian Eymard describes the Eucharist as ‘A need of the Heart of Jesus.’ Yes, a need, of an omnipotent, omniscient being. He needs it in the same way He needs us. Not in a direct, causal way, but a desirous, passionate, longing. He needs us like a mother desperately needs a child she has already given so much for. He needs us like a friend, bursting with excitement, needs to share their intentional, perfectly suited gift. And, he needs us like a Son who needs to show His love for all His Father ever loved.

So run to Him!! On this night (Holy Thursday), when he broke the Bread, giving it to His future priests with you in mind. Tonight, when He spared nothing of His own dignity to make Himself accessible to you. On this night, when His Heart fluttered at the thought that you would one day be His. Run to Him. Meet Him at the train station that is the tabernacle, the monstrance. And if you feel nothing when you go, all the better. Be not there for you. Be there for Him. Allow Him the joy of gazing on you, His beloved. What a privilege it is to have the authority of satisfying the Heart of your God.

[Readings: Isaiah 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9; Revelation 1:5-8; Luke 4:16-21]