Have you ever wondered what it would have been like for Mary to receive her first Holy Communion? Dr. Sri invites us to reflect on the mystery of that moment, and explains the profound connection between Mary carrying Jesus in her womb and a person receiving Communion.
Snippet from the Show
“For Mary, receiving the Eucharist must have somehow meant welcoming once more into her womb that heart which had beat in unison with hers.” – St. John Paul II
Shownotes
Mary’s First Communion
“ At the Annunciation, Mary conceived the Son of God in the physical reality of his body and blood, thus anticipating within herself what to some degree happens sacramentally in every believer who receives, under the signs of bread and wine, the Lord’s body and blood.” – St. John Paul II
“What must Mary have felt as she heard from the mouth of Peter, John, James, and the other Apostles the words spoken at the Last Supper: “This is my body which is given for you (Luke 22:19)? The body given up for us and made present under sacramental signs was the same body which she had conceived in her womb!” – St. John Paul II
“For Mary, receiving the Eucharist must have somehow meant welcoming once more into her womb that heart which had beat in unison with hers.” – St. John Paul II
“Mary lived her Eucharistic faith even before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her virginal womb for the Incarnation of God’s Word.” – St. John Paul II
- Ponder what it would have been like for Mary to receive the Eucharist for the first time.
- There is a profound connection between Mary carrying Jesus in her womb and a person receiving Communion.
- In a sense, we become like Mary every time we receive the Eucharist.
- Imagine Mary preparing herself to receive Jesus sacramentally and the joy she would have experienced having her Son dwell within her again.
- May we lovingly welcome Jesus in every Holy Communion as Mary received and carried her Son for nine months.
- May the Eucharist cause our hearts to beat ever more in unison with Christ’s as Mary’s heart beat perfectly with his.
Resources
- Visit Dr. Sri’s website at www.edwardsri.com and to book online events with Dr. Sri email events.edwardsri@gmail.com
- Find more of Dr. Sri’s episodes at www.ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholic
- A Biblical Walk Through The Mass by Dr. Edward Sri
- Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to www.ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings
Dr. Edward Sri is a theologian, well-known Catholic speaker, and author of several best-selling books. His work with Ascension includes study programs such as A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ’s Passion and Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother. Several of Dr. Sri’s programs were filmed on-site in the Holy Land, and feature immersive video explorations of the sacred sites where Jesus, Mary, and the Apostles lived and died.
Dr. Sri is the host of the acclaimed Ascension podcast All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri. Together with Curtis Martin, Dr. Sri is a founding leader of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), of which he serves as senior vice president of Apostolic Outreach.
Dr. Sri lives with his wife Beth and their children in Colorado.
