The Eucharist: What We Believe And Why
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”John 6:35. This Bread of Life discourse in the Gospel of John represents God’s revelation in Jesus, and the Eucharistic theme comes to the forefront. These words used by Jesus become food for thought, providing mental stimulus for thinking. This expression should be taken very literally because the Eucharist is more than a thought; it is food, the very source of our spiritual nourishment. Now, think about this: if every person appreciated the significance of this gift; the world would be a much better place to live and more people would understand the meaning of life everlasting!
I know someone who loves to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for the gift of Eucharist. His name is Steve Luegers, and he is a member of St. Joseph Parish in Jasper. We met several years ago while working at a Teens Encounter Christ weekend. Currently, we are both serving on the Diocesan Evangelization Team, and we are members of the Good Shepherd Prayer Apostolate, which organizes Eucharistic adoration every day in the parishes of our diocese for the intentions of Bishop Charles C. Thompson.
Steve is a member of the Bishop Bruté Society, has been involved with Catholic Adult Education for over 15 years, and for 12 years has facilitated a Catholic Scripture study on the Gospel of John. Most recently, he has been ministering at Branchville Prison, and feels called to spend his time and talent doing presentations on the Eucharist. The Good Shepherd Prayer Apostolate, where over 1,000 people have committed to a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, has certainly provided that opportunity. Steve has visited over 15 parishes in the Diocese of Evansville offering catechesis; the title of his presentation is “The Eucharist: What we believe and why.”
On July 11, parishioners in Knox County celebrated the third anniversary of their Eucharistic adoration chapel, “Jesus King of Angels,” which is located at St. Vincent de Paul Parish.
Steve recently spent the past four weekends traveling back and forth to all of the parishes in Vincennes sharing his passion for the Eucharist. He said that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reports that only 25 percent of American Catholics attend Mass weekly and of that number only 30 to 40 percent believe in Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist.
He recommended two books, “Did Adam and Eve Have Belly Buttons?” and “Did Jesus Have a Last Name?” Both are easy read books by Matthew Pinto. Each book has 200 questions and answers about the Catholic faith, all submitted by Catholic teenagers. He also suggested the booklet “Beginning Apologetics - How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith” by Jim Burnham. The website www.therealpresence.org is also a great place to learn more about the Eucharist.
Steve says, “You cannot share with your children what you do not have yourself.” What a great way to underscore the importance of our own faith formation.
Today, Steve generously makes himself available to any parish, free of charge, to share his presentation on the Eucharist. He can be contacted at stevelueg7@gmail.com. He is a great resource for all age groups. His information will help you understand that tremendous gift which not only gives us a better world to live in, but a hope for everlasting life. Share this great knowledge in the power of the Eucharist with your children, and please thank your parish priest for the gift. Amen!
