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Don’t we all — years from now — want to be able to look back on the first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years, and be able to say, “Our family was there (whether physically or, more likely for most of us, spiritually). We remember. We had an encounter with the Risen Lord together as a family that July. That was a turning point for us.”
In his foreword to our Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide: Inspiration & Tools for Building a Trinity House, Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge invites us to see the intrinsic connection between the Eucharist and our “Trinity Houses” or domestic churches.
He writes:
“At the Eucharistic summit of the Mass, we find that the Trinity’s outpouring life breaks forth anew for us — here and now…. By partaking in the Eucharistic sacrifice, we pray that God’s welcoming, listening, and especially serving will live in us and strengthen the bonds of our Church in all its forms, including the ‘domestic church’ of the family. Seeing and encountering God’s way of life in the Eucharist shows us how our families should live to bring about greater communion among persons.”
To see the link
Making this connection between the Eucharist and our own daily family life is not something that others will do for us — we need to make this personal. We need to lead our families to see this link. And this takes time, intentionality, and prayer.
And what better time to do so than during this historic Congress?
Building on Bishop Burbidge’s point, we’d like to propose 5 ways for you and your family to make this moment count:
1
Family adoration
Take your family to Eucharistic Adoration during the time of the Congress, preferably on Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening or Sunday morning. If if’s convenient, schedule this time to dovetail with the daily Revival Sessions (7:00-9:30 pm EST, Thursday through Saturday; and 8:30-noon on Sun.). You will be part of the Body of Christ, interceding for renewal in our own hearts, families, and nation.
2
Watch and participate
Watch and participate in one or more of the Revival Sessions on EWTN (free streaming online here). And when you do, use these sessions as teaching moments and times of prayer for your family — as opposed to passively consuming media. Consider hitting “mute” at various points, adding a personal point, discussing the talks as a couple or family, and actively joining in prayer. You can also get updates throughout the Congress at Aleteia here.
3
Visit a shrine or basilica
Schedule a family day trip to a basilica or shrine on Saturday or Sunday, July 20-21. This investment of time — simultaneous to the historic gathering in Indianapolis — will further put your hearts into a posture of receptivity. What does the Lord desire of you? How is His Eucharistic heart leading you and your family in this season?
4
Start a new habit
Mark this historic moment in a big way by starting to take your family to a monthly time of Eucharistic Adoration. Instead of viewing this as an inspiring one-off event, take the opportunity to institute a new, life-giving habit.
5
Fast
Fast. Choose a day or portion of a day during the Congress, and offer up your hunger for renewal and revival in our hearts and in our nation.
Your family is a “communion of persons” (Catechism, 2205) that reflects the divine life of the communion of persons, the Holy Trinity. If your Trinity House and family’s mission is all about communion, then your mission begins in the Eucharist, in Communion.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth!
~
Soren & Ever Johnson direct Trinity House Community and their newly published book is Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide: Inspiration & Tools for Building a Trinity House.
