SUNDAY, SOLEMNITY OF THE HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
Gn 14: 18-20 Ps 110 1 Cor 11: 23-26 Lk 9: 11-17
OH! WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT!
So much of life is ruled by a set of daily rituals and routines. We wake up in the morning, wash up, get ready, and then have breakfast. If we have kids, we get them ready for school and then either head off to work whether inside or outside. Essentially, we are accustomed to doing a number of things a certain way each day. While these rituals can help bring order to our lives, they also bring the risk of going through life without any sense of meaning or purpose. This same risk can infect our spiritual life as well, especially with regard to the way we approach the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Today, on the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, let us examine our attitude towards this great gift given to us.
At every Eucharist, we go through the same series of gestures and make the same responses; we know when to sit, to kneel and to stand. There are few surprises in the structure of the Mass; we all know what is coming next and are ready for it. And yet in the midst of all these routine acts something wonderful happens every time – Jesus comes to us bringing new blessings each time. As is our experience with those dearest to us, more so is it with the Lord – every encounter is refreshing, encouraging and delightful in its own unique way. In the Gospel, Jesus feeds a multitude of people with the five loaves and two fish. But prior to working the miracle He asks the disciples first to “give them something to eat.” Just as God looked after His people and satisfied their hunger, so Jesus wants His apostles to realize, as they begin their missionary activity, that it is not they who are feeding the people but God. They came to understand that God’s promise of salvation extends to the whole world, for God wishes to satisfy everyone’s hunger.
Today we are drawn into the mystery of the Eucharist, instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper, as St. Paul reminds us in the second reading. On the night He was betrayed, Christ offered the Eucharistic sacrifice of His Body and Blood, as a perpetual gift to sustain us until His Second Coming. This sacred meal commemorates Jesus’ self-sacrificial love – His Body broken and Blood poured out to nourish humanity with His divine life. The disciples, in celebrating this mystery, remembered how Jesus surrendered Himself entirely, His heart pierced, His love boundless, to redeem us. To partake in the Eucharist is to share in this life given for us, to be enveloped by the love that flows from Christ’s sacred heart. To be Eucharistic, like Jesus, demands total abandonment to the Father’s will. It requires us to “break” ourselves – surrendering pride, hardness, and rebellion. Before God, we lay bare our resistance, submitting fully with a resolute “yes” to His call. This act of self-offering mirrors Christ’s humility and obedience, transforming us into vessels of His love. The Mass should not become a ritual for us; rather, each time we participate in it, we should be moved to answer the call to live sacrificially, reflecting Jesus’ self-giving in our relationships and actions.
As we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, we rejoice in the Lord’s real presence on the altar. We are invited to honour His command to “do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19), celebrating the sacrament as a testament to His death and resurrection. In the Eucharist, Christ embraces us, offering His divine life and whispering His boundless love, eager to transform our hearts and guide our paths. Let us approach the Eucharist with gratitude and reverence, confessing our need for the Bread of Life. Active participation – listening to God’s Word, reflecting on its meaning, and receiving Christ’s presence – makes the Eucharist a living reality in our lives. Empowered by this sacred encounter, we are sent forth to live holy, pleasing lives, radiating Christ’s love in the world. May we carry the Eucharistic spirit, becoming broken bread for others, sharing the divine life we receive.
Response: You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
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