Corpus Christi

My friends in Christ,

Today we celebrate the great Feast of Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The past number of weeks we have been celebrating some of the most important mysteries of our Faith; the Ascension of our Lord, the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the Holy Trinity. Today we celebrate the great gift from God, the most holy Eucharist. We celebrate how not only at the Last Supper, but at every Mass since, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. 

It’s only fitting that our Gospel today recalls for us the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. This morning we hear St Mark’s account of this great moment. Mark was writing for a mainly Gentile Roman audience. He writes in a manner that is direct and to the point. This account of the institution of the Eucharist, the story of the Last Supper, is of course part of the wider narrative of Christ’s passion and death. For we must remember the Mass is more than just a sacred meal, it is the re-presentation of Christ’s passion and death on the Cross at Calvary on the altar. The same body of Christ that was made present at the Last Supper, the next day was crucified, the same blood of Christ that was in the chalice at the last supper, poured forth from the side of Christ as he was pierced with the soldier’s lance. 

You may have noticed that the words we hear during the consecration at Mass are slightly different from what we heard read in the Gospel. This is for a couple of reasons. The words used in the various Eucharistic prayers are pieced together from the different accounts across the Gospels. They are also translated from the official Latin text while our scripture readings are translated from the original languages. Let us take a moment and reflect on these words from Mass. The priest says “TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.” And then he picks up the chalice and says “TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.” Let us focus on how powerful these words are, when they are spoken by a priest in the context of the Holy Mass, they transform bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The host and chalice are not mere symbols of Jesus, they are Jesus, their very substance, what they truly are, is changed even if their appearance stays the same. This in many ways is what makes us Catholic. This is why it is so important to remain in the Caholic Church. We truly have Christ present here amongst us, physically present. If this were not the case, if the tabernacle was kept empty, this building would be nothing more than an empty tomb. But instead it is filled with Life. It is filled with life because of Who is present here among us. 

When we receive the Body of Christ, we are given the food we need to keep going in the spiritual life. We receive sanctifying grace which will help us to avoid sin and to choose good. We become more like Chirst. We are better able to love our neighbor. It is because of this that St. Thomas Aquinas said: “The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; It signifies Love, It produces love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.” We need the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of our Lord in order to sustain ourselves spiritually, just as our bodies need food and water to sustain ourselves physically. 

So my friends, let us use this day to better appreciate the gift of the Eucharist. Let us make sure that when we present ourselves for communion we do so worthily, and if we are not in a state of grace, we go to confession. Let us invite our friends and family back to Mass to ensure they are not being spiritually starved. In the coming months, we will be setting up opportunities to adore our Lord with exposition and benediction, take advantage of those opportunities to spend some time with Christ. After communion today, take a few moments in your pew to thank God for this wonderful gift and think of these words of St. Maximilian Kolbe: “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”