A Frequent Guest

By Fr. Nick Stano

Growing up whenever my family hosted a party or had someone over for a meal, my mom would demand that the whole house be cleaned. Maybe it was the perfect excuse for her to tell my brother and I to clean our room, but maybe a clean house is what gave her the peace of mind to be able to receive our guest(s) with great joy.

But what happens when someone becomes a frequent guest? We often stop cleaning the whole house, maybe just the common areas like the kitchen or living room. Eventually, we may even stop doing that and just invite people into our messiness.

This is a great temptation when it comes to Mass and especially when it comes to receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. It just becomes another part of Mass that we don't think about or reflect upon. We receive Him with inattentive and distracted hearts.

For me this is where the DHG devotion has been a tremendous blessing. I get to think more intentionally and mindfully about how it is that I am receiving Our Lord Jesus Christ when I receive Him in the Holy Eucharist.

I have had the privilege, a few times, when celebrating Mass to, at the Consecration, envision myself greeting Our Lord. Each time as He comes through the door, I run over to Him, so excited to greet Him. Each time a younger version of myself is received warmly by Him.

This encounter facilitated purely by the love of God. It humbles me. Even in just having the unfathomable privilege and honor of celebrating Mass daily as a priest.

But how do I prepare for Mass? Do I rush through getting ready? Am I distracted by problems that need to be solved, announcements I need to remember, that phone call I need to return, and so on and so on?

Have I made sure to go to confession to allow God to rid my soul of the sins that burden it? Allow Him to clean the home of my heart, in order to prepare my heart to be a tabernacle for Him, when I receive Him in Holy Communion. Regular confession helps with this. Just like keeping our house clean in order to be prepared to receive guests, we do the same with our hearts and souls for the Divine House Guest.

A clean house doesn't mean a perfect house, but it does allow for rest much more than a dirty and cluttered house.

May we strive to prepare suitably to receive the greatest gift we could ever be given, apart from baptism, Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist. Make use of confession to help clean up the clutter in our hearts and souls and rid it of any and all sin, with the help of God. To bring some measure of comfort and rest to the One who soothes our souls and gives rest to restless hearts.