Jesus said to them, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).
On Oct. 15, 2006, I arrived at the Kessler Memorial Hospital for my usual daily visitations. The nurse told me that there was a Catholic patient who would want to receive Holy Communion before going in for surgery. I went into the surgery section to see the patient. I introduced myself to him and he also introduced himself to me. He said that in few minutes he would be going in for a surgery and therefore would like to receive Holy Communion.
However, the patient was already in the surgery section waiting to go to the operating room. The nurse advised that it would be better not to give him Communion since he would be going for surgery very soon and could have nothing in his stomach. I explained to the patient why he should not receive the Holy Communion at that time. He agreed that would be OK, but he still wanted to receive it after the surgery. I told him that he had received our Lord in spirit. I also encouraged him not to fear, because God would be in control of the surgery. I later prayed with him, and found myself truly amazed by the patient’s deep faith and trust in God.
My experience here in the hospital shows me that each patient I have visited is unique. Every patient has a different experience to tell. It has been a wonderful experience to see that each patient has found some means of coping with his or her pain, suffering or illness. Some patients found solace in the works of caring nurses. That is why, if the nurses are not friendly with patients, the patients could wind up feeling frustrated. Some of the patients I have met also find consolation in reading the Scriptures. For these people, the Bible means a lot, and of course, this should be encouraged. Some other people I have met found Holy Communion as their great source of courage, strength and relief. The patient, who requested for Holy Communion before going to surgery, was one of such people. I have the firm belief that prayers, Scriptural readings and Holy Communion do encourage patients to face their pain, illness and suffering.
Our Lord at the Last Supper instituted the Holy Eucharist as a sacrament. Luke recounted how Our Lord instituted the Holy Communion when he said, “He took some bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘This is my body which will be given for you; do this in memory of me’” (Luke 22:19). Our Lord made it clear to his Jewish followers that he was the bread of life (Jn. 6: 35). The bread, which is the whole Eucharist, gives spiritual nourishment to those who receive it. Our Lord insists that if you do not eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you (Jn. 6:53). John tells us that the bread gives his own eternal life to those who receive it (Jn. 6:54). John also made it clear that those who receive the bread live in Christ and Christ also lives in them (Jn. 6:56).
The Holy Communion is a source of strength to the participants. Christ gave us the bread to help us in our trials and sufferings in this world. When we receive the body of Christ in the form of same bread, we find strength in our struggles and pain in our world, which can be a vale of tears. It helps us to realize that we are not alone in our sufferings. The patient who requested for Holy Communion knew the value of receiving it, and was confident that the Lord would sustain him in the surgery he would be undergoing. The Holy Communion also can heal, as well as reconcile one to God. The patient recognized the healing power of the Communion and wanted to receive it before his surgery.
As Catholics, we should endeavor to revere the Eucharist. We should try to receive the Eucharist daily if we can, before engaging in our daily activities. I have the belief that we can derive strength and power from it. Eucharist itself is a thanksgiving. This is why the first thing we should do is to give thanks to God in the celebration of the Eucharist. We thank him for his gift of another new day, and, therefore, entrust the day’s activities into his hands. The patient whom I met at the Kessler Hospital gave me, once again, a new meaning to my belief and what I knew about the Eucharist. His belief and trust in the Holy Communion strengthened my own belief about the Eucharist. His desire to receive Holy Communion, before going to surgery, encouraged me as a Catholic and as a priest. His belief was an affirmation of the true meaning of the Eucharist. Although the patient did not receive the Holy Communion before going in for the surgery, I strongly believed that he did receive it in spirit. This belief would be able to sustain him throughout the surgery.
Father Joachim Ifezuo Oforchukwu, C.S.Sp., holds doctorates in education and practical theology.
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