The Eucharist is a means for God to influence the basic unity to which we human beings are called, just by who we are and how God has made us:
24. The gift of Christ and his Spirit which we receive in Eucharistic communion superabundantly fulfils the yearning for fraternal unity deeply rooted in the human heart; at the same time it elevates the experience of fraternity already present in our common sharing at the same Eucharistic table to a degree which far surpasses that of the simple human experience of sharing a meal. Through her communion with the body of Christ the Church comes to be ever more profoundly “in Christ in the nature of a sacrament, that is, a sign and instrument of intimate unity with God and of the unity of the whole human race”. (Lumen Gentium, 1.)
The seeds of disunity, which daily experience shows to be so deeply rooted in humanity as a result of sin, are countered by the unifying power of the body of Christ. The Eucharist, precisely by building up the Church, creates human community.
It seems as if John Paul II is saying that sin is part of the human reality, but that the Eucharist acts as a salve on that. To what extent can we expect divine grace to “counter” our worst impulses? To what extent is human sin a sacrilege? And to what extent is human sin conquered by the Eucharist? And for that last question, are we always speaking in the abstract? Are there instances where Eucharistic engagement (reception, participation, adoration, etc.) have an active role in “countering” sin and its effects? If so, are we ready to go there?
Catholic Sensibility 