In His Presence Julia Bracamonte
“I am the living bread that
I started visiting the Catholic church in 2011. As I would sit in Mass, a few tears would fall down my face. The people I would go with would ask me what was wrong. But I wasn’t crying, the tears would just trickle out. For years this would happen. I thought at first it was just because I missed going to church and was happy, I was back. But throughout these years, it kept happening. I began to go to RCIA in 2018. When I was in class we learned about the Eucharist. I took communion growing up in a Protestant church. They always said, “This bread and this wine, represent my body and my blood.” Then I learned something that amazed me. During every Mass that the Eucharist is offered, it is not a representation. It is a miracle that happens. That bread and that wine are consecrated into the actual body and blood of Christ. I was in a state of shock and thought right away about the tears I would have at Mass. I knew in my mind and I felt this huge void in my heart be filled because I realized that I would have tears because I was in the actual presence of the Lord. Going to Mass after that was different for me. I occasionally get a tear but it’s not every time like it was before. Now I have this feeling of awe. This divine respect for every process of the Mass. This feeling of adoration that fills my life even after Mass is over. What a gift, what love Jesus has for us! He continues to give himself to the world. Going to church my whole life was something that we were supposed to do. I viewed it as giving God something for doing so much for me. But now, I see it as God continuing to do for me at every Mass. I invite everyone to go to Mass and picture Christ at that altar; giving himself to us. He continues to fill our hearts and our lives with His love.
came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world”
20 Fall 2023
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