R
R_C
Guest
Hello, today something kind took place during Holy Mass that perhaps may be interesting for others who sometimes feel like I felt today.
At Holy Mass, I was - as it happens every so often - a little distracted by the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, who was also a lady. In my vanity, I would have preferred to receive the Eucharist from the hands of the priest.
When the blessed moment came, I saw the priest switching towards the left and the lay minister stand were he was before - in front of my line. I was tempted, of course, to change line (how subtle can vanity be, and how sad) but it lasted less than an instant, for I immediately lowered my head and said in my heart: “thy will be done, Lord”, rejoicing at the fact that my Beloved allowed His little ones to assist the priest in the most beautiful of all tasks, and praying the Blessed Virgin to kindly help me receive Her divine Son in the best possible way.
Then the wonderful thing took place. As I kneeled to receive Holy Communion and looked up, my heart was struck when I saw her actions: there was so much care, so much concentration and devotion in her expression and in her eyes as she slowly moved the ciborium towards me and, holding up with incredible kindness the Holy Eucharist, looked and me and said gently: “the body of Christ”
As I walked back, full of joy for the presence of my Beloved, I kept feeling - a feeling that has not yet left me - that I could never, despite my great love for the Holy Eucharist, be able to handle the Eucharist with such great love and devotion. I give thanks to the Lord for kindly letting me know with how much kindness His lay ministers treat Him, and I felt compelled to share this with you because it is ever so much nicer to give than to receive, even if we feel that we are unworthy of both.
At Holy Mass, I was - as it happens every so often - a little distracted by the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, who was also a lady. In my vanity, I would have preferred to receive the Eucharist from the hands of the priest.
When the blessed moment came, I saw the priest switching towards the left and the lay minister stand were he was before - in front of my line. I was tempted, of course, to change line (how subtle can vanity be, and how sad) but it lasted less than an instant, for I immediately lowered my head and said in my heart: “thy will be done, Lord”, rejoicing at the fact that my Beloved allowed His little ones to assist the priest in the most beautiful of all tasks, and praying the Blessed Virgin to kindly help me receive Her divine Son in the best possible way.
Then the wonderful thing took place. As I kneeled to receive Holy Communion and looked up, my heart was struck when I saw her actions: there was so much care, so much concentration and devotion in her expression and in her eyes as she slowly moved the ciborium towards me and, holding up with incredible kindness the Holy Eucharist, looked and me and said gently: “the body of Christ”
As I walked back, full of joy for the presence of my Beloved, I kept feeling - a feeling that has not yet left me - that I could never, despite my great love for the Holy Eucharist, be able to handle the Eucharist with such great love and devotion. I give thanks to the Lord for kindly letting me know with how much kindness His lay ministers treat Him, and I felt compelled to share this with you because it is ever so much nicer to give than to receive, even if we feel that we are unworthy of both.
Well said! That was truly a lesson in humility, which then gave you a great grace of consolation while receiving Our Lord…how AWESOME is it that we are worth NOTHING without Him and yet He freely humbles Himself to come to us under the guise of unleavened bread and wine, knowing full well that we wouldn’t be able to come to Him if He shone with His full glory! How awesome it is that the SAME LORD comes to us, our Savior and our Beloved…the creator of the Universe!! Yet how little and unworthy are we! 
I have been a Eucharistic Minister in the past, and I often wish I could do it again (I am a young woman, 28) but I am moving soon, so I can only pray that Our Lady will be with me as I one day again approach the altar to be given the chalice to give to others the love I hold in my heart…