Eucharist

This is the final Sacrament among the Sacraments of Initiation. Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Passover meal the day before He died. (Lk 22:14-20)

‘At the Last supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.’ (CCC 1323)

The Holy Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. At Mass, when the priest pronounces the words of consecration, “This is my body…this is my blood” the bread becomes more than bread, wine becomes more than wine. They are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is the nourishment that keeps us alive in Christ Jesus. Jesus told us, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you cannot have life in you.” Jesus says in another place in the Gospel of John, “those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in Me and I live in them.” We receive Holy Communion, not because we’re holy or faultless, we receive Holy Communion because we are hungry to become more like Jesus.

St. Gabriel’s Church is always open throughout the day to allow people the opportunity of making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and spend time in the presence of Jesus who promised, “come to Me all you who labor and find life difficult and I will refresh you.”

We have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every First Friday from 9:30 am to 12 noon.