We all know well the story of the Road to Emmaus. Two disciples leave Jerusalem discouraged because Jesus had failed in their expectations of him. Even though they heard that some of their members had proof of Jesus’ resurrection, they were not buying it, and they left town. Then a man came along, and they […]
Author: Patrick Riley
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
March 17, 2021
Feast of Saint Patrick I pen today’s Daily Reflection on this the feast of the saint whose name I proudly bear with a certain amount of pride. The Daily Eucharistic Reflections are part of the Center for Eucharistic Evangelization’s mission, and indeed, Saint Patrick was a premier evangelizer. In today’s reading from Saint John, Jesus—speaking […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
March 3, 2021
Saint Katharine Drexel The saint we honor today, Katharine Drexel, offers us a life rich in service, following after Jesus, who in today’s reading declares that the “Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Katherine Drexel was the younger of […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
February 17, 2021
Ash Wednesday Last year, on the rainy evening of March 27, our Holy Father stood in an empty Saint Peter Square and spoke these words, “We have all raced ahead with breakneck speed ignoring the wars, injustice, and cry of the poor and our ailing planet. We carried on regardless, thinking we could stay healthy […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
February 3, 2021
Today’s readings speak to us of God’s fatherly concern for us, his children. The Responsorial Psalm reminds us that God has compassion on his children, knowing that we were formed from dust. Saint Paul writes that, just as a father disciplines his children, a discipline that does bring pain but, if attended to, brings to […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
January 20, 2021
In today’s gospel reading, Mark presents us with one of several instances in the Gospels in which Jesus and the Pharisees are in disagreement about how the law of keeping the Sabbath ought to be interpreted and followed. It is clear that the greatest law of Judaism is that one is to love the Lord […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
January 6, 2021
The Feast of the Epiphany The feast of the Epiphany is a very significant feast for the Eymardian family. In 1857, on January 6, Father Eymard made the first solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel of the first foundation of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament on rue d’Enfer in Paris. Reflecting […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
December 23, 2020
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and no doubt your tree and homes are decorated, Christmas cards already in the mail, manger scene prominently displayed, gifts purchased and wrapped, and cookies baked. The air is filled with excitement and anticipation. Today’s readings, however, cause us to stop and take a deeper look at the true meaning of […]
Eucharistic Witness · January / February 2021
Eucharistic Witness (January/February 2021)
Patrick J. Riley, D. Min. Cleveland Heights, Ohio In September 1961, I entered the minor seminary of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. I knew nothing about this Congregation, but I felt called to the priesthood and I was “recruited” to this seminary out of eighth grade. For the next 13 years, I was formed […]
Daily Eucharistic Reflections
December 9, 2020
On October 1 of this year, Pope Francis issued the encyclical letter Fratelli tutti, (On Fraternal or Social Friendship). Our Holy Father recognizing that we are in a dark time, highlights some of the evils and difficulties facing us today. Most obvious is the global pandemic which has killed so many, sickened many others, and […]