Ex 24:3-8; Hb 9:11-15; Mk 14:12-16,22-26
(B)
See in this bread the body of Christ which hung upon the cross, and in this cup the blood which flowed from his side (DO)
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood
of Christ also known as Corpus Christi, meaning “the Body of
Christ.” The celebration of the Body of Christ was promoted in the 13th
c. by the pope, Urban IV. It’s background lies in Jesus’ Last Supper on the day
of Jewish feast of Passover. It reflects God’s deliverance of his people from
slavery in Egypt. Secondly, it speaks of sacrificing a young bull to seal the
covenant between God and people. As a sign of the people’s acceptance, the
people were sprinkled with the blood of the sacrificed bull. As a result, the
people were to be intimately involved in the covenant. But, Jesus instituted the
new covenant replacing the old covenant intended by the Father. St Paul says that
Jesus became the high priest to sacrifice and the perennial sacrificial blood
(Hb 10) in the place of animal sacrifice.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread,
blessed it, broke it, and shared it with his disciples. Similar words and
actions are followed in each Mass by an ordained priest. We believe that by the
power of the power of the Holy Spirit the bread is transformed into the body
and wine is transformed into the blood of Jesus. This doctrine is called
transubstantiation. This Eucharist is a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the
cross. We believe that Jesus is truly present in the elements of bread and
wine. That’s why we eat his body and drink his blood. When priest says “this is
the body of Christ” we answer, “Amen”. This is to reaffirm our acceptance of
the New Covenant with God in Christ. This is more than just saying, “I agree.” This
Communion is an intimate sharing of the presence of Christ conquering evil on
the Cross. This is our deliverance by the very immanent presence of Jesus.
Most often we refer to the Eucharist as “communion”.
The communal aspect of the Eucharist is far more than a common meal. It is the
union of those who share the Body of Christ into the Kingdom of God. When we
receive communion, we are recommitting ourselves to be active members of that
wider community that spreads the Kingdom of God to innumerable nationalities
through our sacrificial love. We thank God for uniting us to the greater
community of salvation. The Greek word eucharisto in English eucharist
means “thanksgiving”. We thank God for his deliverance, protection, care. What
do we still benefit when we receive the Eucharist? We thank God for the many
ways that we experience his love in every aspect of our lives.
The Eucharist is also the mystery of
strength. The strength that we need for the greater communal quest of sharing
is the very presence of Jesus within us through the Eucharist. We are not alone
in this battle. We carry the Lord, our strength. Do we have a difficult
decision to make? We ask Jesus within us for guidance after we receive the
Eucharist. Do we feel that our lives are falling apart? We ask Jesus to keep us
together. Are we searching for a way to bring justice to the people? We give
ourselves over to the Lord within us. Are we sick? We ask Jesus within us how
we can use our sickness to fulfill our part in the plan of God’s creation like
St Teresa D’Avila. Do we feel alone? That’s why God says, “Arise and
eat, else the journey will be too much for you” (1Kgs 19:7). Let us realize that we are never alone when we receive
Jesus in the Eucharist. He is our rock, and our fortress, and our
deliverer, in whom we take refuge, our shield, and our stronghold (Ps 18:2). Let
us receive him in worthy manner as St Paul demands.
If anyone is thirsty, let him
come to me and drink from an inexhaustible spring (DO)
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