News, April, 2 2026
News from Good News Ministries:
- The Eucharist: Food for Weary Souls
- From Our Video Archives: Take, Eat & Drink
- Plus great links to great content!
The Eucharist: Food for Weary Souls
To me, Holy Week always feels long. After five and a half weeks of Lent. The final week always seems arduous, and I’m ready to experience Easter joy. I’m sure this is intentional; the Church, in her wisdom, wants us to do our very best to grasp the agony Christ experienced. While we cannot fully understand the magnitude of His sacrifice, the difficulty we have in patiently offering our sacrifices through Holy Week reminds us of our dependence upon God; it is only by His love and mercy that we can grow in holiness.
We live in a culture of instant gratification, and Satan tempts us to just give up the pursuit of anything worthwhile if we cannot possess it immediately. We are constantly distracted and forget our ultimate goal in life to be in union with God for all eternity in Heaven. Unless the items or relationships you are currently pursuing are going to help you reach heaven, they will fade away. We often forget this and spend our time working toward dead ends, and this causes us to become weary.
But Jesus promises, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).” Because he knows that if we turn to him after we’ve tried everything else to fill the God-sized hole in us, we will have peace. “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world (John 16:33).”
To help us through the daily difficulties, Jesus gives us the Eucharist, his very body, blood, soul, and divinity, so that we too may conquer the world. He reminds us that “unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you do not have life within you (John 6:53).” Take a moment to ponder that scripture verse.
Are you feeling worn out and constantly stressed by the pursuit of temporal things that don’t give you joy? Restore life in your soul by encountering Christ in the Eucharist. Today, Holy Thursday, we especially honor the source and summit of our Christian life. I encourage you to take some time over Holy Week and spend some time reflecting on Eucharistic theology. Doing so will help you have a more profound understanding of the paschal sacrifice, experience a deeper, more intimate union with God, and experience an abiding Easter joy.
If you are looking for a place to start, Good News Ministries has a wonderful resource to help you grow in understanding of the Eucharist. My Soul Shall Be Healed is a short study of Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical on the Eucharist, Ecclesia de Eucharistia. In this book, Terry Modica unpacks this rich document and makes it easy to understand and grow in devotion to the Eucharist.
Know with confidence that during this Holy Week, the Good News Ministries team and I are praying for you and your family. Happy Easter!
Good News Prayer Room:
Use our collection of Catholic prayers designed with your needs in mind. They will give you hope and a stronger connection to God’s love and support. What do you need prayers for today?
Visit gnm.org/prayers.
Post your prayer requests @ gnm.org/post-a-prayer.
Good News WordBytes:
WANT MORE FAITH and HOPE in TROUBLED TIMES? WE’RE HERE for YOU! Choose from a variety of topics on our website of Catholic Faith-building articles. What do you need today?
Visit wordbytes.org.
Explore our Catholic Video Library for Faith Growth
Go deeper into you understanding of the Mass with this special video course.
God bless you!
Every morning, I lift up in prayer everyone who helps Good News Ministries in any way (donors, volunteers, prayer supporters, etc.) and all the prayer requests posted on our site. What can I cover in prayer for you? Post your prayer request.
How else can the team and I serve you today? Visit our homepage.
Thank you for reading this newsletter.
Your servant in Christ,
Bill Snyder, Executive Director
Good News Ministries
gnm.org
Find this and past issues at gnm.org/newsletter. Please share what will minister to others.