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When we attend Mass, we may enjoy the homily or music, but in the Church’s eyes, that should never be the primary highlight.
Holy Communion should be the moment during Mass that we all long for and try to savor for as long as possible.
Paschal banquet
The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes this point clear in its section on the Eucharist:
The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord's body and blood. But the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion. To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who has offered himself for us.
The Catechism further points out that Jesus himself invites us at every Mass to receive him in Holy Communion:
The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: "Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."
We should ask ourselves how much we look forward to Holy Communion and if the moment we receive the host is the highlight of each Mass we attend.
We do not simply receive a piece of bread, but Jesus himself.
Jesus invites us to communion with him at every Mass, and it is up to us to respond to the invitation.
