“The world needs Jesus,” Bishop Edward Malesic told those gathered for the closing Mass of the Eucharistic Revival. The liturgy was celebrated on June 28 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland.
“We come to Mass to be sent out,” the bishop added, explaining that we are told at the end of Mass to go and spread the good news of the Gospel. This great commission is the responsibility of each of us, he said.
Three years ago, the National Eucharistic Revival launched in an effort to unite people around the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. The word “Eucharist” means thankful or thanksgiving, Bishop Malesic said.
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At Mass, “We receive the body and blood of Christ, the real presence, the source and summit of our faith. What we do today is the source of our life as Christians.”
The bishop said it’s hard to believe three years have passed since the Eucharistic procession took place downtown to open the Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese of Cleveland.
“I’m very proud of the way you embraced the call to enter into the revival,” he said. The number of people inquiring about the faith is rising and more people are embracing their faith, the bishop said. Eight new priests – among the highest number in the country – were ordained in May and six more are continuing their formation for possible priestly ordination next year, he added.
“Christian joy is something the world can’t offer, but Jesus can,” the bishop said.
He asked for a show of hands of those who attended the Eucharistic Congress last July in Indianapolis, Indiana. The diocese sent a contingent of about 250 people to the event, which drew more than 50,000 to Lucas Oil Stadium. Several attending the June 28 Mass wore the red T-shirts diocesan delegates received for the congress, which the bishop called “a real pilgrimage.”
At the closing Mass, Bishop Malesic used the chalice gifted to Bishop Joseph Schrembs by Pope Pius XI for the seventh National Eucharistic Congress, Sept. 23-26, 1935 in Cleveland. The chalice is among the historic pieces housed in the diocesan archives.
At last summer’s 10th Eucharistic Congress, Bishop Malesic said attendees were “reminded again who and whose we are,” the beloved sons and daughters of God, a loving and forgiving father. This is reinforced in the liturgy, he said.
At Mass, we ask God to change the bread and wine into his body and blood, the bishop said. “And we are changed, also. We come as one thing and leave as another.” He said God became man so man could become godlike as we work toward fulfilling our goal to become saints in heaven with the Lord.
“We are being made into saints one day at a time. I see it in our diocesan youth council, at The FEST, in our young adult community and across the diocese. I see Christ rising in you in our schools, nursing homes, families, those entering into marriage, religious life and other vocations. We are striving to become the best Christians we can be,” Bishop Malesic said.
“Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts asking us to let him in … Christ, who is risen from the dead, walks among us and stays with us until the end. We shouldn’t keep this a secret. Our faith is not just for us, it needs to be shared. The world needs Jesus. Let’s be a flourishing, apostolic Church, a people who serve those in need – even if the world rejects it,” he added.
“We are ready to receive the bread from heaven, which is food for our souls. We receive Jesus’ body to help bring people back to him and ultimately, to heaven,” the bishop said.
One of the hymns sung at the Mass, “Lord, I am not Worthy,” was written in 2022 for the Eucharistic Revival by Father Joe Menkhaus, a diocesan priest, his sister Monica Menkhaus, his brother Max Menkhaus and a friend, Father Connor Hetzel, a priest of the Diocese of Youngstown who completed his formation at Saint Mary Seminary.
After Mass, the congregation was invited to an ice cream social in the cathedral courtyard where they could enjoy two ice cream flavors created for the Jubilee Year of Hope by Country Parlour Ice Cream with input from Father Damian Ference, diocesan vicar for evangelization.
Click here to learn more about the Eucharistic Revival in the diocese.