What effect does receiving the Eucharist have?

[catholic1seeks]

I understand people's lives have been changed by praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, but what effect does receiving the Eucharist have?

I have read about and heard about different people's lives being changed because of time spent in adoration/praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

My question is, what is the effect of receiving the Eucharist in the form of bread any way? What difference is there between receiving Jesus in the Eucharist...and not receiving Him through it. Does the Eucharist affect our souls? What is the significance of the actual intake (eating) of Christ's Body and Blood verses just praying in His presence?

[Fr. Vincent Serpa]

Hi,

Good question. The Eucharist, like all sacraments, gives us sanctifying grace which raises us to God's level. It doesn't make us equal to God, but it gives us a share in His divine life. While we are here on earth, we aren't consciously privy to this. We know it only by faith--and at times by the spiritual strength it gives us.

Still by the very fact that when one receives the Eucharist, God enters one's body and involves us in a divine-human intimacy that we could never achieve by ourselves no matter how we tried. It truly is the holiest of communions. As one grows in appreciation of this, one finds that it is more than anyone could ever hope for in life this side of the grave!

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.