May 27, 2026 I attended an entire event focused on the Eucharist, and I felt like I never really got time to spend with Jesus in the Eucharist. I attended most of the Highway to Heaven event on May 16 at Sacred Heart Church in Massena. Booked to capacity, Highway to Heaven drew people from around the diocese and beyond. From morning prayer to closing thanks, it was a beautiful event! The keynote speaker was engaging and inspiring (videos are available on the Highway to Heaven Facebook page), the music was beautiful, the Shroud of Turin, relics and Eucharistic Miracles exhibits were interesting and awe-inspiring, and it was really exciting to see Jesus go out into the community in a Eucharistic procession with Bishop Terry R. LaValley. But when I attend events primarily through the lens of a camera, it’s a different type of participation than attending as a participant. Instead of prayerfully spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist, I’m generally thinking about what adjustments I need to make to my camera settings or where I need to be next. While there was ample time at the event for Adoration, prayer with the Eucharistic Christ, I never really made it to those opportunities except to take photographs. Everywhere I went at this event, I ran into someone I knew or someone who knew me. And to top it off, my son, Jake, attended the event with me (he spent time as a volunteer, and he really wanted to hear Sarah Kroger lead praise and worship). While I got to chat with a lot of readers of this newspaper, and everyone was super kind and gracious, everyone seemed far more excited to meet Jake than they ever are to meet me. It made my mom heart so very happy and grateful, and Jake loved meeting so many people who are cheering him on and praying for him. Between the time I spent taking photos and the time I spent chatting away with all the wonderful people I met and wonderful people I already knew who I ran into at the event, I ran out of time, and I never made it to spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist. Thinking back on it, I was a little sad that I missed that opportunity, but then it occurred to me, one of the reasons I didn’t make it to spend time with the Eucharistic body of Christ was because I was spending time with the Body of Christ. It just didn’t look like I expected. I love spending time with Jesus in Adoration, but the people of God – the Church – are also the Body of Christ, and it was amazing to have an opportunity to be with the Church of the North Country. I attended an entire event focused on the Eucharist, and it was a blessing to have a chance to share time and love with the Body of Christ. |
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