Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP, on Union to Christ Through the Eucharist

". . .There's a line from the television series Justified that I love. The protagonist is a U.S. Marshal tasked with keeping the law in rural Kentucky. However, he and the principal antagonist have a long history. As Marshal Givens says, 'We dug coal together.'

"In the show the marshal and the criminal are bound together. Even though their relationship could not be described as friendship, they share the deep common experience of the danger and hard work of the mine. They have been united, inextricably.

"But there's a more profound natural union to be had in this life. For any of us, joining a common cause is exhilarating. . . .

"But the natural level still leaves us wanting. We know that only the supernatural union, that only friendship with God will satisfy us. That’s what the Eucharist is, that's what this amazing sacrament offers. . . .

"Why don’t we always feel united though? If it's true that the Eucharist binds us to Christ such that He thinks and feels our thoughts and affections, why might we feel distant from Him? If the Eucharist binds us to the Church, why might we find ourselves at odds with other believers? "

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on detachment and its relationship to union with God.

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: Why doesn’t the Eucharist always leave us feeling united to Christ? (11 JUN 20)

Editor's note: Myrna and I are parishioners at Saint Pius V Parish, where Fr. Patrick is currently serving (until the end of June).