Chapter 4: The Eucharist

Objectives:

- Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist

- The Eucharist is food for our souls.

- Holy Communion is a lifelong blessing we should never take for granted

Opening Prayer:

- Start by saying, “Let’s take a moment in silence to be still and quiet and open ourselves up to whatever God wants to lead us today.”

- Have your child/children bless themselves and read the prayer:

God, our loving Father, thank you for all the ways you bless me. Help me to be aware that every person, place and adventure I experience is an opportunity to love you more. Fill me with a desire to change and to grow, and give me the grace to become the best-version-of-myself in every moment of every day. Amen.

Pages 136-137are a review of what you have learned in this chapter. Give your child time to answer all of the questions and review the answers with them at the end. Suggest that they may have to look back in the chapter to find the answers to some of the trickier questions.

From time to time, you might think to yourself, “I’m not sure if I believe that Jesus is truly present in the host I receive at Mass on Sunday.” You wouldn’t be the first person to have doubts about the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. If you watch the episode “The True Presence” you will learn about the Eucharistic miracle that took place while a doubting priest said Mass in Lanciano, Italy. While it is just one of thousands of documented Eucharistic miracles, it is particularly powerful because you can travel to Lanciano and see the flesh and blood that has remained there for for more than thirteen hundred years.

After you are done learning about the miracle at Lanciano, spend some time discussing your favorite part of the miracle with your child. Give them the opportunity to share their favorite part, too.

Lord, catch me off guard today. Surprise me with some moment of beauty or pain. So that at least for the moment I may be. Amen.