Totus Tuus. This is a Latin phrase which means "totally yours." 

It was the motto of Pope John Paul II and signifies a radical commitment to Jesus through Mary. But have Catholics ever radically committed themselves to Jesus in the Eucharist? Have they ever said “Totus Tuus” to the Blessed Sacrament?

Saint Paschal Baylon did, and the Eucharist became his food for the journey of an extraordinary life.

Baylon grew up in the 1500s Spain. As a young shepherd, he would often visit the Blessed Sacrament at the village church, spending hours each day in prayer and adoration. This devotion only deepened when he joined the Reformed Franciscan Order as a lay brother, where his responsibilities included serving as a doorkeeper, cook, and gardener. Even in these humble tasks, Baylon’s life radiated his Eucharistic love, inspiring those around him.

As Saint Paschal Baylon grew older and spent more and more time with the Eucharist, he started having extraordinary experiences. It is said that he was granted visions of the Blessed Host, and on several occasions, he miraculously received the Eucharist from angels during times of illness.  

We may not all be fed the Eucharist from angels, but we can all develop a deeper appreciation for the Eucharist. We can all live a Eucharistic life.

Let’s start today by saying this Prayer of Spiritual Communion:

Jesus,

I believe that You are truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Every day I long for more of You.

I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot receive You sacramentally at this moment, I invite You to come and dwell in my heart.

May this spiritual communion increase my desire for the Eucharist.

You are the healer of my soul.

Take the blindness from my eyes, the deafness from my ears, the darkness from my mind, and the hardness from my heart.

Fill me with the grace, wisdom, and courage to do Your will in all things.

My Lord and my God, draw me close to You, nearer than ever before.

Amen.

(Taken from 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory)

Never forget that each time you receive Jesus in the Eucharist, he is working in you, to send you out into the world so that he can work through you.

Patron Saint of: Shepherds, Male Children, Priesthood Vocation, Eucharistic Congresses, Eucharistic Associations, and Cooks

Symbols: A Monstrance

Feast Day: May 17

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Victor

Canonized: October 16, 1690

Canonized By: Pope Alexander VIII