Friends, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ popularly known as “Corpus Christi.” It was introduced in the late 13th century to encourage the faithful to give special adoration to the Holy Eucharist. Brothers and sisters, the last two precious gifts given to us by Jesus are the Holy Eucharist as our spiritual food on Holy Thursday and Jesus’ Mother Mary as our spiritual Mother on Good Friday. “Corpus Christi” is the celebration of the abiding presence of a loving God as Emmanuel who is “God with us” to give collective thanks to our Lord for his living with us in the Eucharist. The feast also gives us an occasion to learn more about the importance and value of the “Real Presence” so that we may appreciate the Sacrament better and receive maximum benefit from the Eucharist in our lives.
Friends, both our first and second readings of today talk about covenant, sacrifice, and blood. According to the first reading, the old covenant was sealed with the blood of animal sacrifice which Moses sprinkled on the people. The pouring of the blood signifies that from that moment God and Israel are like one person, as if the same blood flowed in them. To strike one is striking the other. They are joined forever into one and cannot leave each other anymore. On the contrary, the second reading reminds us that the new covenant was sealed with the blood of Christ. This is what makes the functional difference. And this sacrifice of Christ is re-enacted every day in the mass. And that is what we call the Eucharist. The Eucharistic bread is not a medicine that heals the sick even if he goes to sleep. The exterior execution of the rite does not make it effective; it requires faith, that is acceptance of what the rite signifies. In other words; our interior transformation does not depend on the number of times we receive holy communion, but on the faith with which we receive it. The effectiveness of the Eucharist is bound up with the firmness of our decision to let ourselves be molded by Christ and identify ourselves every day more and more with him in the sacrament. Without such faith, without our interior acceptance, even the blood of the new Covenant won’t produce fruit.
Friends, in the first and second readings of today we are told at length about the blood necessary to transform man. We must be convinced that to bring about changes it is necessary to offer sacrifices and shed some blood. We also ask ourselves which is this blood that purifies, that changes mankind. Is it the blood of the others or our own blood? We are likely to prefer to sacrifice somebody else’s life rather than our own. But Christ shed his blood and this is what his disciples must also do. Brothers and sisters, we may know people who became rich by exploiting the work of others. These people did not shed their blood, but the blood of others. We also know people who toil to improve the living conditions of their families, provide a better living standard for their children, and help their brothers and sisters in the community. To achieve this, they are ready to work hard, leave their comfortable homes, begin to work in the early morning, and only stop when it is dark again. Yes, these are the people who shed their blood for the love of their brothers and sisters. They are working with Christ to wipe out sin and to create a new mankind.
Friends, today’s Gospel gives us the facts of how Jesus converted this ancient ritual into a Sacrament and sacrifice. Instead of the lamb’s blood, Jesus offered his own Divine Body and Blood, and instead of sprinkling us with blood, Jesus put It into our hands as food and drink: “Take … eat … this is my Body which will be given up for you,” and “Take … drink …This is … my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal Covenant, which will be poured out for you …. many for the forgiveness of sins.” The blood of the new covenant has been shed for many; this means shed for all. Therefore, every person has the right to be accepted into the community. God does not make a distinction between pure and impure, superior or inferior races, worthy or unworthy tribes. In front of the Eucharist, all people are equal and all are invited to enter into communion with Christ. If one does not accept this universality, like a racist or tribalist, or one makes a distinction between a good person and a bad person, approving of the first and condemning the second, the meaning of the Eucharist has not been understood by such a person.
Friends, the holy mother church holds that; “by the Eucharistic Celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all” (CCC 1326). Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist. Here he was both the priest and the victim. This is a major difference between the new and the old covenant. As the priest, Christ offered himself to God for our salvation. Our mother church teaches us that; “the Eucharist is the source and the summit of the Christian life…for in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself…the Eucharist is also the culmination both of God’s action, sanctifying the world in Christ and, of the worship men offer to Christ… in brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summit of our faith” (CCC1324-5). Brothers and sisters, God became flesh in Jesus, when we receive communion, God is yet again incarnated but this time in us. God dwells in us as he did in Jesus. And with Christ in us and we in Christ, we must do as he did. Just as he offered himself fully to us, we must offer ourselves fully to Christ wherever we find him. We find him on the altar, we find him in the Scriptures, and we find him in our neighbors. So, when we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, take care of the sick and elderly, visit prisoners, and protect the sanctity of life, we don’t do these things because we are social workers. We do them as a people in whom God dwells.
Friends, to show love for Jesus, we will carry him in procession today into our street. It is also a symbol of Jesus’ love for us. We cannot carry Jesus through every street or road in our parish but we know that Jesus is with us and loves us, his blood is poured out for us, and his body is broken for us. As Jesus passes you in the Blessed Sacrament, adore him and thank him for all that he has done for us unworthy sinners. Also, as Jesus passes you in the Blessed Sacrament, ask him for whatever healing you need. Try to put words on the deepest healing you need in your life, and ask Jesus to heal you and your family. At Masses for healing, the healing always occurs when people are blessed with Jesus in the monstrance. Jesus in the monstrance will pass by you today. Adore him, love him, and ask him for help. He is waiting for you. Remember the words of the consecration of every Mass recalling Jesus giving himself for us, “This is my Body which will be given up for you… This is the cup of my blood. It will be poured out for you…”
Friends, Jesus in the Eucharist is the very center and heart of Our Beloved Mother Church, the center and heart of our faith, the center and heart of our parish. May Jesus in the Eucharist be the center and heart of our families, and the center and heart of the lives of each one of us. The Lord be with you …. May the almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have a Blessed Sunday and a Fruitful New Month of June and Pray with us Online Rosary Every Monday @ 8 pm.
By: Fr. Ben Chola mccj
Aka Omuntu Wa Bantu