Serra Club Vocations Essay

Student values the many ways she can encounter Christ in the Eucharist

(Editor’s note: The Indianapolis Serra Club’s annual John D. Kelley Vocations Essay Contest ordinarily awards prizes each spring to winning essayists in grades 7-12 in the archdiocese. This week, have the winning entry in the ninth grade.)
 

By Olivia Egan (Special to The Criterion)

There has recently been a study stating that nearly two-thirds of Catholics in the U.S. believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

This is groundbreaking, because it exhibits that the National Eucharistic Revival has had an astonishing effect. All the diligent efforts of parishes, schools, and families have not been fruitless. Many have worked tirelessly to teach people why they should venerate Jesus in the blessed host and to allow him to be an integral part of their lives.

There are many beautiful ways to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.

A eucharistic procession is a marvelous way to experience the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. I feel an amazing sense of community through my parish’s eucharistic processions. During the procession, everyone begins to reverently pray the rosary while they follow the priest, lifting the monstrance above the crowd.

I enjoy these processions because they present you with the feeling that everyone is working toward the same heavenly goals. It is incredible to know that you are not alone in your faith, and that there are other people who want the same good things as you do. An incredible way to experience Jesus in the Eucharist is to take part in a eucharistic procession.

My entire family makes an untiring commitment to go to Mass every Sunday. Mass is where I turn when I need to hear Jesus’ voice and experience a deeper relationship with him. I savor the chance to immerse myself in the liturgy and God’s presence at Mass, because it helps me focus and reorder my life toward him.

When I’m at Mass, it fosters my relationship with Jesus and it is an extraordinary prayer experience. The period of time right after I receive the Eucharist is valuable, because Jesus is in my soul, and it is a potent time to ask him to intercede for petitions. Mass is an important commitment for my family.

As a beautiful part of our homeschool curriculum, we go every week to visit Jesus in adoration. When I crave relief, and peace in my life, adoration is where I turn. It is a sublime feeling when you enter the silent church and find yourself face to face with Jesus, the Savior of the world. It is the highlight of my week when we spend an hour in adoration, because it gives me the strength and calm to face the world outside of the chapel.

When you spend time basking in the glory of Jesus in the monstrance, it revives your soul and establishes or renews an intimate relationship with Jesus. Adoration is a spectacular experience.

Everyone should strive to make the Eucharist a part of their life. When you regularly encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, it will change your life, how you treat people and the way you live. When you allow Jesus to be a part of every aspect of your life, you will be much happier. There are numerous different ways to encounter the Eucharist in your life.
 

(Olivia and her parents, Justin and Katherine Egan, are members of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross Parish in Bright. She is a homeschooled ninth-grade student and is the ninth-grade division winner in the Indianapolis Serra Club’s 2024 John D. Kelley Vocations Essay Contest.) †