Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

July 20, 2026

Anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of Peter Julian Eymard

In Matthew 12:38-42, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for demanding a miraculous sign, pointing instead to the “sign of Jonah”. He declares that “something greater than Jonah” and “something greater than Solomon” is present. This points directly to the Eucharist as the ultimate, abiding fulfillment of that “something greater”.

Jesus compares his upcoming death and resurrection to Jonah’s three days in the whale. In the Eucharist, the Resurrected Christ — He who conquered death — is truly present, offering a far greater sign than Jonah. Solomon was famed for his wisdom, but Jesus is the Wisdom of God Incarnate. The Eucharist is the school of divine wisdom, where believers sit at the feet of Christ to learn how to live holy lives.

The Pharisees wanted a flashy, worldly sign, but Jesus gave them the humblest sign possible: his very self under the appearances of bread and wine.

Known as the “Apostle of the Eucharist,” Saint Peter Julian Eymard was fascinated by how all of Scripture connects to the Blessed Sacrament. Eymard frequently taught that the Holy Eucharist is a divine storehouse filled with every virtue. Just as the Queen of the South traveled to seek Solomon’s wisdom, Eymard urged the faithful to seek Christ in the Eucharist for all spiritual needs. He believed that the spiritual indifference of his time could only be cured by a fervent love for Jesus in the Eucharist. For Eymard, the Eucharist was the highest development of the Incarnation, bringing Jesus, both physically and spiritually, into the believer’s daily struggles.

Jesus refused to give a cheap, worldly sign, offering his Passion, Death, and Resurrection instead. The Eucharist makes that exact paschal mystery (Christ’s sacrifice and victory) present on the altar in every Mass. Saint Peter Julian Eymard saw Eucharistic Adoration and frequent Communion as the way for the soul to encounter this “something greater” daily.

The road to the priesthood was long and difficult for Peter Julian Eymard. Today, we celebrate the anniversary of his ordination in 1834, along with 22 classmates, for the Diocese of Grenoble, France.

Let Us Pray:

Lord Jesus Christ, you refused the demands of an unfaithful generation for a worldly sign, offering the great and glorious sign of Jonah — Your victory over the tomb instead. In the Holy Eucharist, I behold the ultimate fulfillment of that sign. Here, you are truly and substantially present. You are the One greater than Jonah, risen and alive. Amen.