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From the Pastor's Desk: June 11, 2023
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From the Pastor’s Desk: June 11, 2023
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
- John 6:53, 54
These words from today’s Gospel teach us that Jesus is true food and true drink that nourishes us so much that those who partake of Him will live forever. The significance of Jesus’ statement is echoed by St. Paul who reminds us that we "participate in the body of Christ," when we break the bread and the cup we drink is "a participation in the blood of Christ." On this Solemnity of Corpus Christi, we proclaim the greatest gift of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, "the source and the summit of the Christian life," the reality from which everything in our life flows (source) and the reality toward which everything in our life is directed (summit), the reality that gives us – the faithful – energy, vision, and hope to foster a true civilization of love.
Attempts have been made to metaphorically interpret Our Lord’s words today, but He is very clear: “My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.” This is the Scriptural basis, among other passages, for our belief that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. Instituted by Jesus, the Last Supper became the first of many celebrations of the Eucharist, including the one we celebrate today. Ever since, the Catholic Church has always believed and taught that every time an ordained priest pronounces the words of consecration at Mass - when he says, "This is my body... this is my blood," Jesus Himself, by the power of the Holy Spirit in a mysterious, sacramental way, becomes truly present under the appearances of bread and wine. Jesus Christ is truly and fully present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist which makes it the greatest of all sacraments.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that, "In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained" (#1374). Perhaps the words of St. Paul contribute a great deal to support that truth when he calls Holy Communion a "participation" in the body and blood of Christ. In addition, in the Gospel Jesus Himself makes this point without room for any error or even any sort of interpretation as He repeats six times - SIX times - in just seven verses, that His flesh is real food, and His blood is real drink.
The gift of the Eucharist is truly amazing. But in life's hustle and bustle we can sometimes start taking it for granted. Today, let's renew our sense of awe and gratitude in the face of this great gift. It's not complicated; it's just a matter of being more aware of things that we already do. For example, let's use the Sacrament of Reconciliation more frequently so to make sure we are in a state of grace before we receive Jesus. Let’s consider renewing the care and elegance with which we dress when we come to celebrate the Eucharist, remembering that when we receive Holy Communion, we too are living temples of the Lord. Let us be reminded that church is not a parish hall and remember to speak only when we need to and in a quiet tone of voice, out of respect for Christ's presence and out of courtesy towards those who wish to pray. Mass starts with a sign of the cross and ends with the sign of the cross. Why not fully participate in the loving acts of Jesus that He offers us in between? After all, the Eucharist is Christ among us, Christ giving Himself to us completely, just because He loves us. Let us be open to receive that love with the greatest desire, one holy moment at a time.
“Most Holy Sacred Heart of Jesus, help my heart to persevere in all that is holy.” –St. Rita of Cascia
I wish you a blessed week everybody!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
