How does one live a eucharistic life? What is a eucharistic life? “The Greek word eucharistia, meaning ‘thanksgiving. ‘ This term originated in the 1st or 2nd century A.D. as early Christians commemorated Christ’s Last Supper with thanksgiving.”[1] When we share the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, we give our deepest and most sincere thanks to God for the amazing love poured out through Jesus’ life, suffering, death, and resurrection. God did this simply out of love for our imperfect nature and the hecticness of humanity.
To live a eucharistic life as our Scripture indicates this day, is to anchor our lives deeply, in God’s presence. It is as if we become the living tree of God with roots stretching downward always searching for and being nourished by the Living Water of God’s Word and presence.
The Scripture
Psalm 1 sets the tone for the entire psalter. The Book of Psalms takes us along the path that Jesus took. A path of suffering, hurt, rejection, and deliverance, salvation, exaltation, and immense joy. All of these emotions are expressed and experienced in the Book of Psalms.
However, this first Psalm also sets straight forward how faith and human actions are woven together and produce consequences for good or evil in one’s life and community. Two ways are set forth for living life and discerning whom to follow and emulate through our life actions. Today we focus on choosing to delight in God’s ways and meditate on God’s Word. When we choose to soak in the Word of God we become
like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
(Psalm 3:3, NRSV)
Today’s Prayer Practice
This week you are invited to make commitment to pray the entire Book of Psalms. Through the weeks of praying, the Scripture soaks deeply into the heart and forms our inward being. It is through intentional, consistent meditation and prayer on God’s Word we become even more formed by God to live a eucharistic life. I pray the Psalms with a group each Wednesday on zoom. If you are interested, please send me a note through the contact form on the website.
For today, we begin praying with Psalm 1. Life is filled with choices. Not just choices of things to do, or places to go, but we have choices with the words that we use, how we express and live our emotions, and whom we emulate throughout life. Today we are praying Lectio Divina. Please read Psalm 1 and become familiar with it.
- Following the second reading, consider what words from the Psalm catch your heart’s attention. In silence following the reading, ponder these words in your heart before God.
- Following the third reading, consider what choices are before you. How do your choices increase Christlikeness in and through your living?
- Following the fourth reading, discern how God is offering an invitation to you from the words of Psalm 1. What is God inviting you to do or to be?
- Once you discover the invitation from God for today, offer a prayer of blessing and commitment to live into your newly discerned way forward to gain an even greater eucharistic life of humility and gratitude.
Enjoy praying.
[1] https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-the-eucharist-definition-lesson-quiz.html accessed February 10, 2022.
