Servant of God Dorothy Day is best known for her radical activism and work with the poor through the Catholic Worker Movement. A convert to the faith, Day developed a deep devotion to the Eucharist which guided her vocation.
Day grew up in the Episcopal Church but was drawn to Catholicism by the beauty of the Mass and Christ’s humility in giving his very Body and Blood to us in the Eucharist. She reflected on the importance of this spiritual nourishment, explaining, “We are nourished by His flesh that we may grow to be other Christs. I believe this literally, just as I believe the child is nourished by the milk from his mother’s breast.”
Day was initially skeptical of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. She wrote, “It took me a long time as a convert to realize the presence of Christ as Man in the Sacrament. He is the same Jesus Who walked on earth, Who slept in the boat as the tempest arose, Who hungered in the desert, Who prayed in the garden, Who conversed with the woman by the well, Who rested at the house of Martha and Mary, Who wandered through the cornfields, picking the ears of corn to eat.”
After her conversion, Day relied on the Eucharist daily to help her realize Christ’s love for us. She said that receiving His Body and Blood allows us “to put on Christ” and to become Christ for others.
Adoration also was central to Day’s life and ministry.
As you pray before the Eucharist this week, will you ask God for the grace to allow the Real Presence to help you live out the Gospel?
