Pastor's Message
Corpus Christi Sunday
“Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1Cor 11:26
This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Corpus Christi; A Celebration that is a striking reminder and actualization of God’s Infinite Love made manifest on the Altar of the Cross. Not only did the Son of God die for our Salvation, but also, in his Divine Power, left to his Church the Power of repeating that same Sacrifice of his death and resurrection in each Holy Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated.
It was the Will of Christ, to celebrate the Last Supper with his disciples, as He tells them; “I have ardently longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; because I tell you, I shall not eat it again, until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”
Then, we read in the Gospel of Matthew, that “While they were at Supper, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the everlasting Covenant. It will be shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven.” (Mt 26:26-28)
The Church, from its very beginning, as testified by St Paul, in his Letter to Corinthians, acknowledges that our Savior instituted the Sacrament of His Body and Blood; and in his words, St Paul testifies that the Eucharist is to be celebrated until the end of times; “Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Understanding these Words of Christ, the Church professes that, in the celebration of the Eucharist, Bread and Wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit!
In the Words of John Paul II on his Letter on the Eucharist says; “In the humble signs of bread and wine, changed into his body and blood, Christ walks beside us as our strength and our food for the journey!”
St. Thomas, meditating on the richness of this Mystery, in the reading that bishops, priests, deacons recite in the Morning of Corpus Christi, proclaims; “How precious and wonderful is this banquet, which brings us salvation and is full of all delight? What could be more precious? It is not the meat of calves that is offered, as happened under the Old Law; at this meal Christ, the true God, is set before us for us to eat! What could be more wonderful than this sacrament?
Jesus nourishes us in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist because we absolutely need Him to have the Fullness of Life. His teaching is clear and unmistakable: “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood you have no life in You.”
The Consequence of eating of his flesh is an extraordinary union with the Divine; “As the Living Father sent me and I draw Life from the Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me.” (Jn 6:57)
We are called to Faith in the Eucharist, and this Faith has been tested ever since its institution! In John, we hear the Jews and some of his disciples complain; “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” The Gospel tells us, after this, many of his disciples went away and no longer went about with him. So, Jesus challenged the twelve: “What about you, do you want to go away too?”
Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the Words of eternal life!” … and we believe …that you are the Holy One of God.”
On our pilgrim journey on this earth, the Eucharist is the source of Divine Life. In every moment, it is celebrated, Christ consoles us and as in the story of Prophet Elijah in the Old Testament; who had sought refuge in the wilderness for fear of his enemies; tired and frustrated, he opted to die. An Angel of God awoke him from sleep and consoled him with Food from Heaven! At Communion, we should hear the same words, whispered to Prophet Elijah by the Angel: “Arise and eat, else the journey be too great for you.” †
