“You become who you spend your time with.”
Or at least that is what I tell my kids when we talk about which friends we want to prioritize being around. Whether it’s the family that surrounds us, the friends we hang out with, the people we date or marry, or the people we work with—the more we are around others, the more we take on their mannerisms, sense of humor, or outlook on the world.
We often (and ideally) seek out those who bolster and encourage us. When the stresses of parenting or just being a human begin to grind on my soul, even just the presence of a family member or friend can lift me up. From their optimistic perspective to their coolness under pressure to their gentleness with their own kids, I leave their company edified. Even if we aren’t talking about our struggles directly, the personalities of good people who love us can soak into our skin and leave us refreshed.
Sitting in adoration recently, I was praying with a quote from St. Peter Julian Eymard:
Do not go to seek our Lord in heaven, for he is nearer to you than that. It is well, doubtless, to rise toward his glorious throne from time to time, and to desire to see his splendor, but in practical life, you should have him nearer to you, and it is in the Most Blessed Sacrament that you should seek and find him.
As I was meditating on these words, I kept coming back to the reminder that Jesus is present on this earth. Of course, His physical body is in Heaven, radiating His glory in the presence of the faithfully departed. But through the gift of the Eucharist, He is still very much here. With eyes of faith, we can see Him truly with us.
While I proclaim my belief in the Real Presence, I find that I don’t always treat the Eucharist the way I would a real-life person I can lean on in times of need. Yes, I love the beauty of the Mass and the ancient richness of the prayers. Yes, I love a Holy Hour for its dedicated time for prayer and for the stillness my home of young kids doesn’t often provide. But do I try to soak up Jesus—the very real person who is Jesus—when I am at Mass or adoration? Do I seek Him out the way I seek out my loved ones when I need a little more joy or patience?
Jesus doesn’t want to just be any person to us; He wants to be the Person—the Person we call when we need to talk through a problem, when we need someone to laugh with, when we don’t know how to sort through our feelings. And while we can say that we go to Jesus in prayer, do we seek Him out in His flesh and blood? Do we remember prayer with Him can be more than a metaphorical phone call but a live, face-to-face chat?
Plus, basking in Jesus’ presence, we become more like Him. Just like a good (or bad) family member, friend, significant other, or coworker can rub off on us, spending time with Jesus rubs off on us, too. As St. Carlo Acutis said, “When we face the sun we get a tan, but when we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist we become saints.”
One prayer we can consciously pray in Jesus’ presence is breath prayers. As we slowly inhale, we can ask to take in one of Jesus’ perfect virtues; as we slowly exhale, we can push away its opposite vice. For example, with our breath, we can pray, “I breathe in your humility, Jesus, and I breathe out my pride. I breathe in your peace, Jesus, and I breathe out my perfectionism.” Not only do I find this prayer relaxing as I slow my body and mind down in His presence, but I also am focusing specifically on trying to use my time with Him to become more like Him.
Maybe it is time we revisit our view of the Eucharist and remind ourselves that Jesus is really present in it. Let us ask the Lord for eyes of greater faith to allow Jesus to be Our Person, so we can become more like Him every day.