THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST (Corpus Christi): WHOEVER EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD HAS ETERNAL LIFE

"The church draws her life from the Eucharist. This truth does not simply express a daily experience of faith, but recapitulates the heart of the mystery of the Church” (Pope John Paul 11, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, No.1).

In the first reading of this weekend, Moses reminds the people of God’s love and faithfulness in their exodus from Egypt, encouraging them not to forget the Lord. The Exodus story narrates how God led the people through the desert, providing water in their thirst and manna in the form of food (Deut. 8:16). To commemorate this journey, Moses and the people sacrifice holocausts and young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. The blood of the lamb of sacrifice is a sign of the covenant of liberation for the people sprinkled on the altar to reveal God's presence. This ritual is a pointer to the great sacrifice of the new covenant, the blood of Christ poured out for the salvation of souls. Theologians maintain that an aspect of the Mosaic sacrifice consisted of four types namely: sin offering, guilt offering, burnt offering, and peace offering. And that a huge part of these sacrifices was the forgiveness of sins (Lev.17:11; cf. Heb. 9:22).

Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (Jn.6:51). To affirm the importance of this spiritual gift, Christ reaffirms, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink of his blood, you do not have life within you” (Jn.6:53). At the Last Supper, Jesus takes the bread, says the blessing, breaks the bread, and gives to the apostles saying, "Take it: this is my body." The same with the cup, "This is my blood of the covenant." Jesus offers himself as true food and true drink for the salvation of mankind. This is the feast that the Church celebrates today, a commemoration of the gift of the Body and Blood of Christ to the Church.

How do we explain the mystery of the Blessed Eucharist, that Christ comes to dwell in us, and we in Him, through what looks like ordinary bread and wine? I once asked a young boy how he felt after receiving Holy Communion the Sunday after his first Eucharist. He replied that this time it tasted better than the first (his first Holy Communion). The little boy went on to describe the taste in terms of his favorite snacks. This innocent yet deep response reminds us that the Eucharist is both tangible and mysterious. The Church maintains that the Blessed Eucharist is a sacrament of Christ’s real presence, the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) given in the appearance of bread and wine.

At Mass, the priest uses the same words as Christ, “This is my body… This is my blood.” We see this validated in St. Paul’s message that emphasizes participation. The Christian community participates in the breaking of bread and in the drinking of the cup as members of Christ’s mystical body. Saint Paul, in his First Letter to the Corinthians, recalls the tradition he received “On the night he was handed over… Jesus took bread… gave thanks… broke it… and said: ‘This is my Body.’” Then with the cup: “This is the cup of the new covenant in my Blood… Do this… in remembrance of me.” Paul’s presentation shows Jesus’ self-offering —body, blood, soul, and divinity for the life of the world. That we are privileged to take part in this mystery through our individual and communal participation in the blessed Eucharist.

The four actions (take, bless, break, give) summarize the heart of the Eucharist:

·        Christ takes up our humanity, becoming one with us.

·        Christ blesses us by infusing our lives with his divine presence.

·        Christ breaks himself, accepting suffering and death.

·        Christ gives himself, fully and freely, for our salvation.

When we receive Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist, we become what we eat because the Eucharist is Jesus. We begin to taste like Jesus. We become ministers who bless others with the same love we have received, feeding the hungry not just with food, but with mercy, presence, and dignity. People feel the love of Christ in us.  Each time we receive the Eucharist, we say “Amen” to the mission of Christ, loving and serving with devotion. Christ takes up our sin, brokenness, and inner hunger. The miracle of the Eucharist is Christ taking possession of our being; filling us with grace, healing our woundedness, and incorporating us into the divine life. The invitation for us today is to respond with thanksgiving and generosity, offering our lives and resources to God.

Readings: 1^st- Deut. 8:2-3,14-16; 2^nd- 1 Cor.10:16-17; Gospel- Jn. 6:51-58