We Are People of the Eucharist

Towards a renewed love for Holy Communion

Reflections on the Eucharist

by Bishop David Motiuk, Eparchy of Edmonton

September 2023

The Quest for the Cup!

            Having enjoyed the summer, as we begin a new school year and a new church-liturgical year, our thoughts naturally turn to the Eucharist and hockey. Right?

            The Eucharist and hockey. We don’t often put them together but they do have much in common. Let me explain.

            Hockey is a quest, a quest for the Stanley Cup. Youngsters in Canada are born with skates on their feet and hockey sticks in their hands. They dream of one day making it big and playing for the big teams and the chance to win the much sought-after Stanley Cup.

            Through the years, youngsters and their parents sacrifice much in pursuit of their quest.

            We mustn’t forget about the sacrifice we fans make in following our favourite teams season after season.

            And when a team makes it big and wins the Cup, each player traditionally gets twenty-four hours to claim the Cup for himself.

            For example, Mike Keane once presented the Cup at his one-hundred-year-old grandmother’s nursing home. Joe Nieuwendyk presented the Cup to his blind former professor. Dennis Potvin presented the Cup to his father who was dying from cancer. The younger players of our day tell similar stories.The Eucharist and hockey.

As Christians, there’s another cup we quest after. The Eucharist. The Cup of Salvation. Jesus’ Body. His Blood.

The quest for the Stanley Cup is beyond the dreams of most of the players that lace up their skates. It is a fleeing moment, here today, gone tomorrow.