Young William Francis Medley – the future Bishop Medley of the Diocese of Owensboro – is seen on the day of his First Holy Communion, April 24, 1960. FILE PHOTO
Do this in memory of me: An invitation to the table of the Lord
Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night before he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
-1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
This passage, along with the account in the Gospel of John of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, is the core of the Church’s liturgy on Holy Thursday. The institution of the Holy Eucharist, presented along with Jesus’ model of service, is the story of Holy Thursday.
Jesus presents three commands: take and eat, take and drink, and do this in memory of me. Here we are in 2026 fulfilling these commands in every nation on earth. The Eucharist is celebrated on every day of the year, except on Good Friday when the Church remembers the passion and death of the Lord. But even on this day the Eucharist is offered to the faithful with the Sacred Bread that was consecrated on Holy Thursday.
From apostolic times the Church has held that we celebrate this memory primarily on Sunday, on the Lord’s Day, on the day that we commemorate the Resurrection of the Lord. From very early tradition Christians saw the sharing of the bread and wine and the memory as a serious obligation for all believers.
We speak of this commemoration as our Sunday obligation. Perhaps we should emphasize the privilege rather than the obligation. But there are many obligations in life and for Catholics there is no better way to “keep holy the Sabbath Day” that to come to the table of the Lord and receiving Holy Communion.
Wherever a priest was available there has been a long tradition of celebrating the Mass daily in parish churches, convent, and monasteries. Wherever this privilege has been possible there have always been faithful who made it a practice to receive Holy Communion daily, often known as “daily communicants.” In most places these faithful are people whose responsibilities in life have been lessened; their child-rearing years are complete and often even their working career. Though in most parishes the number of daily communicants is small, these faithful represent real prayer treasures for the entire parish, and indeed for the whole Church.
If your lifestyle enjoys more leisure and free time, could you contemplate being among the daily communicants of your parish?
In the weeks to come, parishes will celebrate one of the happiest events of their Church year as children, typically second graders, receive their First Holy Communion. In some parishes in our diocese this may be only one or two boys or girls. In larger parishes this might be several dozen children. Look back upon photographs of First Communions going back generations and you will commonly see very happy children, children happy to have achieved a rite of passage as they can join parents and older siblings in the privilege of regularly receiving the Body and Blood of Christ.
As a pastor it always perplexed me that too often this rite of passage of a First Holy Communion was followed by very infrequent presence at Mass. This, of course, is not the responsibility of seven and eight-year-olds. They can only attend Mass if someone brings them. So I would remind parents that they have not only a personal obligation to keep holy the Sabbath by participation in the Eucharist, but they have a moral obligation to assure their children’s presence and participation.
If a child reminds a parent that they are hungry, the answer is not, “What do you mean? You ate at Christmas and Easter.” Children have a hunger to know Jesus more perfectly and their parents should ensure that they are fed.
The commands of Jesus: take and eat, take and drink, and do this in memory of me.
May God bless you always!
Most Reverend William F. Medley
Diocese of Owensboro
Originally printed in the April 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
