characteristics of a Eucharistic woman

1. A CFMSS: A Eucharistic Woman and Tabernacle of Communion
Eucharist is not a new word for us and so Eucharistic woman and Tabernacle of communion. We
participate in the Eucharist daily and missing a Mass makes us feel guilty. We know so much about
holy Eucharist as we think, and we can recite even the Eucharistic prayers by heart. But the
question is how much this Holy Eucharist influences our life?
Holy Eucharist is the centre of the life of a Clarist Franciscan Missionary of the Blessed Sacrament.
Her entirelife and mission is based on the Eucharist. Her life, strength, joy, peace and consolation
come from Him. The quality of my life and mission depends on the depth of my relationship with
Him, who breaks Himself for me daily in the Eucharist. He guides me to the extend I listen to Him,
allow Him to guide and mould my life. To surrender my life to Him is to accept His ways and
plans for me completely trusting that He has better plans for me/us than I have for myself. Every
CFMSS, by their very vocation is called to be a Eucharistic woman and a Tabernacle of
communion. Eucharistic Jesus teaches us how to be Eucharistic women.
Eucharistic Presence is . . .
 A welcoming Presence:
Jesus in the Eucharist welcomes and accepts everyone irrespective of who we are, or what we are,
without looking at any of the external differences. He treats everyone with respect. He makes his
sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
 ALife givingenriching, nourishing and strengthening presence:
Remaining in the presence of the Eucharistic Jesus sustains and strengthens one’s life. “Those who
eat my fresh and drink my blood has eternal life” (Jn. 6:54). This presence is energizing,
strengthening, nourishingand induces enthusiasm. St Clare says, “Happy indeed is she to whom it
is given to share in this sacred banquet so that she might cling with all her heart to Him….. whose
affection excites, contemplation refreshes, kindness fulfils, by whose fragrance the dead are
revived”.Anyone who comes to the Eucharist does not leave empty but enriched with abundant
blessings may be invisible.
 A transforming presence:
Once, a devout father had a son who was wayward and got into many bad habits staying in a hostel
for higher studies. When the father got to know about it he brought the boy to a retreat centre
where Perpetual Adoration was going on. He asked the boy to remain in the presence of the Blessed
Sacrament for a week and not to move from there except for answering the nature’s call. At first
he refused as he did not know how to pray and that too continuously for a week. But the father
persuaded him to just sit there. He told him that he could sleep there but not to leave the presence
of Jesus. He did as the father asked him to do. Foodand all other necessities were provided there.
After a week the boy went back home. In the evening the father called the priest in charge and
said, “Father, it has worked.” The priest asked him, “what happened? Any transformation?” “he
has acknowledged his wrong doings and seems to be feeling guilt, it is a good sign, father!”was
the reply. In the days followed the boy made a good confession and felt disinterested towards the
sinful ways and slowly turned to the Lord.

2. Being in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament itself is transforming.A transformed
person transforms others. Their presence itself becomes a challenge to the wrong doers. Once St
Francis of Assisi when asked by a theologian about correcting the wicked answered him, “You
should be so on fire with life and holiness that the light of your example and the manner of your
speaking would be a reproach to the wicked. Your life shining and your goodness spreading like
a sweet odour will proclaim to the wicked their own wickedness.”
 A presence that induces Faith, Hope and Love:
“Faith is to believe what we do not see and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe”says
St. Augustine.Faith is a gift of God and it is a grace to see God’s hand in the events of life. To
have faith is to believe even when all the evidences are not in conformity with what we believe
and to trust that it will come true at the Lord’s time.That shows the depth of our spiritual life and
our trust in the Lord.
Even at the Gethsemane, facing the passion, Cross and Death Jesus does not give up His hope. He
knew His father will be there and will raise Him up.
The love of Jesus for us is not merited by us. It does not depend on anything that we do or failed
to do. He loves because He is Love. He loves us whether we love Him or not. A love that desires
to be with,a love that desire to eat and be eaten. A love, that sustains and raises us up.
 A sacrificing and self giving presence:
Jesus in the Eucharist sacrifices Himself and gives to us, always ready to give His presence,
keeping nothing for Himself.
 A listening and understanding presence:
The whole world may be not ready to listen to your problems, your grievances, your struggles and
difficulties. You may or may not be a sweet spoken person, your presence, talks may be irritating,
disinteresting. But there is one Person who wholeheartedly wants to listen to you, our Lord in the
Eucharist. You are His only concern, the object of His obsession. He understands us as we are.
So, a Eucharistic woman is…
 One who accepts everyone and treats them with respect irrespective of who they are.
 One whose presence is enriching, nourishing, strengthening, energizing and life giving.
 One whose presence is transforming.
 A woman of indefatigable hope.
 A woman of tremendous faith.
 A woman of unconditional love.
 A woman of Sacrifice and generosity
 A woman who listens and understands others without judging them.
Being a Eucharistic Woman is a costly affair and all the more to be a Tabernacle of Communion.
A Eucharistic woman is a Tabernacle of communion

3. Tabernacle encloses the mysteries. It encloses Jesus: the incarnation, life, passion, death and
resurrection. Tabernacle is a sign of Sacrifice of Jesus to unite the whole human race into one
family. Tabernacle draws all people together forgetting their differences and is the source of the
same banquet of life. Tabernacle is a sign of the price Jesus paid and we need to pay to remain
united. Tabernacle is the presence of the Holy Trinity, the epitome of communion each Person
fulfilling His own role of creating, redeeming and transforming. Having the same goal, same mind,
same thought the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit works together in unity, love and peace.
The communion of the Trinitarian God is Goal oriented and love oriented and consists in fulfilling
the Father’s will of establishing the Kingdom of God, of peace and love. St Paul says, “clothe
yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony”(Col 3:14). The
members of a community having the same goal and mission, work in the same direction as a co-
worker of God Himself. When they lose sight of the common goal, the thought varies, actions
oppose and communities get fragmented and the you and me comes. As Jesus says, “anyone who
is not against us is for us. And anyone who does not scatter gathers”.
Tabernacle contains that bread that gives life breaking Himself to feed others and satisfying their
thirst with His own Blood. The sharers of this Body and Blood, this heavenly banquet become one:
Jesus in me, Jesus in you, Jesus in everyone.
I become a Tabernacle when I carry these mysteries within us. Jesus says- “you will know them
by their fruits”. Whether we carry these mysteries within us is revealed by the thoughts that goes
on in our mind throughout the day, the topic of discussions that we undertake with others,the type
of words comes out of our mouth, the actions we choose to do etc.Does it reflect the presence of
Jesus within our hearts and the mysteries being pondered? Because Jesus says “mouthspeaks from
the abundance of our hearts”.
I become a tabernacle of communion only when I put on the mind of Christ (Phil. 2: 6-8)
 When I am ready to humble myself to accept the will of the Father in all things and allow
myself to come down to the level of becoming a bread as Jesus humbled Himself.
 When I become obedient like Jesus who became obedient to the point of death and remains
in that bread for all eternity.
 When I am ready to accept sufferings in order to become a bread broken, to nourish and
strengthen others
 When I make sacrifices to maintain unity in my community like Jesus who sacrificed
Himself to draw all people to God.
 When I choose to forgive others even when I think they do not deserve forgiveness,
 to love others even when I am disliked by others and feel not accepted,
 to focus on the goodness in others even though I am inclined to focus on the weaknesses,
 to respect and speak well about others even when I am ill-treated, misunderstood, and ill
reputed.
Communities with people of different temperaments remain united at the cost of sacrifices made
by one or the other member if not all. If everyone choose to make a bit of sacrifice on their part,
the love and harmony in the communities are multiplied and we become a true Tabernacle of
communion.