Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Today we celebrate a central tenet of our faith — the Real Presence of Jesus in the Body and Blood of Christ.
For Saint Peter Julian Eymard, the Corpus Christi procession afforded him a life-changing experience. It caused him to devote his life to proclaiming the Real Presence to the world in prayer and action. He was immersed in the mystery of God’s love expressed in the Eucharist.
The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist brings us to our knees in wonderment at a great gift, an expression of God’s presence, and a challenge.
In the body and blood of Christ, we encounter the person and mission of Jesus. The bread — his work of showing the face and love of God to a hungering humanity. The blood — the wine of his suffering- embraces our broken humanity and lifts us up to the promise of redemption and new life.
We are challenged to become what we eat and drink. Eating the body of Christ nourishes us to show the face of God to our world through kindness, acceptance, and care for one another, especially the most vulnerable among us.
Consuming the blood of Christ puts us in solidarity with the suffering of our human family throughout the world—broken relationships, betrayals, misery and war, oppression, racism, and the many other ways our human dignity is diminished.
With whom will I share the embrace of God’s love I received in the Eucharist?
Let us pray:
God of life and of light, your love for us surpasses all our hopes and desires. Renew our resolve to gather as your people and to celebrate your faithful love for us manifested in Jesus’ gift of the Eucharist. Feed us at the Table where we long for your presence more than for life itself. May we cherish the gifts of bread and wine and share these blessings with our brothers and sisters. Send us now as witnesses of your gospel into a world of fragile peace and broken promises so that, formed into the likeness of your son, Jesus, we may worship you in Spirit and Truth and proclaim your mighty deeds throughout the world. Amen.
