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June 5, 2021The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) June 6, 2021
Readings: Exodus 24:3-8; Psalm 116:12-13,15-16, 17-18; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14:12-16, 22-26
As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we are reminded that we have been blessed with all we need to live a life that promises the peace and joy that the world cannot give. We have the love of God the Father, the teaching and example of Jesus His Son, and the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Next Sunday, on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, we are reminded that we also have access to the greatest source of spiritual nourishment for our journey through life. This Sunday’s readings remind us of God’s unfailing promise to be with us always. We celebrate the gift of Christ’s Real Presence in His Body and Blood when we receive the Eucharist. In this precious gift we have a continuous source of strength to overcome the temptations of the world and help us on our path to increased holiness and to eternal life. When we worthily receive His precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist, we are sent the graces to have Christ live in us and through us. When we seek communion with Christ, the rewards of joy and peace are endless. On the other side of the coin, Christ warns us that if we betray or turn away from Him, it would be better for us to never have been born. He expects us to be loyal to His teaching and He promises to reward all who are.
So much of what we face in our daily lives can distract us from the reality of living in God’s love. We can even lose sight of the significance of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist that should remind us of His real presence in our lives. Each time we celebrate the Mass and receive Christ’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist, we are encouraged to be present to the reality that we have become one with Christ. Let us invite Him to become and always remain a part of who we are. Ask His precious heart to beat as one with ours as we walk out of the Church and into our daily lives so that we can help make Him truly present to the rest of our world.
For further reflection on the power of the Body and Blood of Christ we receive in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, consider attending a weekday Mass and just contemplate the tremendous opportunity we have to share in the life of Christ. See also the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Eucharist and Holy Communion, paragraphs 1322-1340, 1378-1381, 1391-1401 and 1406-1419.- What does sharing in the Body and Blood of Jesus say to me about the intimacy God wants to share with me? How strongly do I believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in its power to bring me peace? How highly do I value receiving Christ in the Eucharist?
- How do I feel Christ presence during the Mass? Where do I most feel Christ’s presence? As a Catholic, what can I do to better appreciate the graces which flow from my active participation at Mass?
- How can knowing that I carry the Body and Blood of Christ with me every time I leave Mass change how I act toward others I encounter? How do I carry Christ with me into the world?
