He was old, tired and sweatyPushing his homemade cart down the alleyStopping now and then to poke around in somebody’s garbageI wanted to tell him about eUCHARISTBut the look in his eyes, the despair on his face, the hopelessness of somebody else’s life in his cartSo I smiled, said Hi- and gave him eUCHARIST

She was cute, nice bodyWay too much make-upA little wobbly on her feet as she slid from her bar stoolAnd desperate for a dateNo thanks, not tonight- and I gave her eUCHARIST

She lived alone, her husband deadHer family gone, and she talked at you, not to youWords, endless words, spit outSo I listened- and gave her eUCHARIST

I laughed at myself and told myselfYou with all your imperfection, all your selfishness, I forgive you, I accept you, I Love YouIt’s nice and so necessary to give yourself eUCHARIST

When will we learnYou cannot talk eUCHARISTYou cannot philosphize about itYOU DO IT!!

You can’t teach eUCHARISTSometimes you laugh itSometimes you cry itOften you sing it

You pause eUCHARIST in the middle of a busy daySpeak eUCHARIST with a million things to do and someone wants to talkFor eUCHARIST is as simple as being on time and as profound as sympathy

I give you my supper, I give you my sustenance, I give you my life, I give you me, I give you…….. eUCHARIST

eUCHARIST in the poem refers to helping others with random acts of kindness, giving people what they need most- forgiveness, sympathy, friendship, love, compassion, etc.

The poem is telling us that eUCHARIST is not just the Ritual Sacrament we receive at Mass.

It is a “sacrament of the everyday” thatwe can share with others by randomacts of kindness.

We need to realize that:A.) everyone needs itB.) everyone can give itC.) it can be given in many ways

Ways we can give eUCHARIST: Doing good needs Sharing Being friendly Forgiving Trusting Listening

Ways we can receive eUCHARIST: Forgiveness Acceptance Love Understanding Sympathy Respect Love Hope

In Summary:

eUCHARIST: “sacrament of the everyday”

EUCHARIST: “Ritual Sacrament received at Mass”