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Sean Wen, a freshman at Servite High School, has embraced the next chapter of his journey after attending St. Irenaeus Parish School in Cypress. His article, "Love of the Eucharist," reflects not only his deep personal faith but also his commitment to growing spiritually within the Servite community. Sean continues to exemplify the values of faith, reflection, and service that are central to Servite's mission of forming faith-filled leaders.

 

Love of the Eucharist
Featured in OC Catholic
By Sean Wen '28

We humans need a purpose to live. What is my meaning? or Why am I here? are common questions among unsure minds like ours. I, along with most my age, have been told that it’s only the effects of puberty. Indeed, it’s far more than that. God is the only one who can fill the hole in our hearts. The sacrifice of His only Son bridged the gap between us and Him. Jesus lived and died to save us from sin and reconcile us with the Father! So instead, brothers and sisters in Christ, we should ask: What can I do for God?

One stressful day, my emotions got the best of me. Overwhelmed by my troubles, I decided to take a deep breath and walk around the neighborhood to clear my mind, but I found it hard to appreciate nature when everything seemed against me. So, God sent me a message. A woman I had never met approached me and handed me a small book. Looking at it, I realized it was a tiny Bible; before I could thank her, she had already left. That fleeting reminder impacted me longer than I imagined, and I still think of it today.

Since then, I’ve been doing my best to put God first. There will always be struggles with focusing on Him, but it all takes patience and faith. Satan constantly tests me in more ways than I’d like. Whether it be the temptation of social media or the feeling of laziness, the devil never fails to try and convince me to back away from what I know is right. But I’ve persevered in attending daily Mass, keeping a consistent prayer schedule, and giving thanks to God for all my blessings.

It’s hard to see things that we aren’t looking for. Sometimes, God isn’t so apparent with His messages. He could be as silent as a whisper on a breezy day. But the most visible, unmistakable message of all is Jesus. Going to Mass is a way for us to remember His sacrifice and contemplate ways to give back to Him. The gift of the Eucharist is the greatest gift God has given us. It’s sad to see how people receive it and then live a life that contradicts the whole purpose of the Body and Blood of Christ. We should accept the graces bestowed upon us with reverence and decide to live as God wants.

Vocations are a central part of living a holy life. God has called each of us through Jesus to become saints. No, becoming a saint does not mean we should martyr ourselves for the Catholic faith. We don’t have to be precisely like Mother Teresa, either. Of course, we should try to shape our lives like theirs, but the goal is to “Rejoice always” and “Pray without ceasing,” as the Apostle Paul instructs us to do in First Thessalonians, 5:15-16. Although it’s physically impossible to pray perpetually—we humans need sleep!—we are to be a model of holiness to our neighbors through our actions, thoughts, and words. God calls us to different things; all we have to do is keep our ears open for His voice.

So, I urge each of you to start today. It doesn’t have to be a significant change at all! Start small, and eventually, you’ll see big things happen. Go to Mass and celebrate the Eucharist weekly. Encourage others to do the same. Take advantage of every opportunity to be generous. Everything else you can think of, don’t be afraid to let your light shine! When done with the right attitude and conscience, all these things will please God. You never know what impact you might make on the world.

 

Flip to page 10 to view OC Catholic's article.

 

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