Deuteronomy 8:2-3.14b-16a,
Psalm 147: 12-13.14- I 5.19-20,
1 Corinthians 10: 16- 17,
John 6 :51-58 Full Readings
The Eucharist
Brethren, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ which we as Catholics call the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the most fundamental part in the life of a Catholic, a summit of Christian life (CCC 1324), for it is Jesus Himself, whom we receive, eat and drink. What a magnificent gift we have as Catholics!
The Eucharist is the highest and perfect prayer of Thanksgiving which we give to the Father for a wonderful gift of Jesus.
This is done in Mass, and the Eucharist is the second fundamental part of mass after the Liturgy of the Word. As Christians, the Eucharist is so important for our Spiritual growth and being in communion with Jesus. It is our spiritual food, the food which sustains us in this earthly journey, far different from our normal food, in that when we eat normal food it transforms into our bodies, but when we receive the Eucharist, we are fully transformed into Christ, we share his life and his Divinity. The bread gives us spiritual nourishment and blood being the sign of life makes us sharers of His divine life, as a gift of God.
From the first Reading, we see that the Eucharist has been from the beginning, part of God’s plan of salvation. Our fathers were fed with Manna from heaven when they were in a desert: the food which sustained them in their journey. This Manna was a model and an anticipation of the bread from heaven which is the body of Christ. However, the bread that Christ gives is far better than the manna which our fathers ate because when they ate it they died but whoever eats the body and drinks the blood of Christ will not die and Christ will raise him up on the last day. In this way, we can say we are luckier than our fathers and so God deserves our praise and thanksgiving.
The manna was the symbol and reminder of God’s unfailing care for his people throughout their journey, and so is the Eucharist as the expression of God’s care for his people today. Brethren, we need physical food but we also need more of the Eucharist. Hence the saying, in the first reading, quoted by Jesus to Satan during his Testing in the Desert, ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ In the Eucharist we graces we need to pass through this life and also prepares us for eternal life.
St Paul in the second reading tells us that the cup which we bless is the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is the body of Christ. These bring us to communion not only with Christ but with one another. That's why it is called Holy Communion. As Christians the Eucharist is and should be the sign of unity amongst ourselves just as it united the first Christians by sharing a common meal and building a bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.
Our invitation today is to create that deeper love and reverence for the Eucharist, and believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in there. We need to understand what really Eucharist means and when we take it, we should not just take it for sake. That's why it requires prior preparation. By eating Christ we are assimilated into him. But, just as, if I am sick, food does me no good and can even harm me, so if I eat Christ sacramentally without wanting to be moulded into him, it does me no good at all. The Eucharistic effect in us is due to our inner disposition.
Reflect today on how deep your love is for the Eucharist? Do you believe in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? Do you long daily to receive the Eucharist? What are things which make you unworthy to receive the Eucharist? Pray to God so that He will open ways for you to always receive Christ in the Eucharist. Spend some time in silence and commune with all the adorations done today on the whole world, surrender all your prayers and receive Christ Spiritually since you can't access tabernacle.
Let us pray
I adore you Christ in the most Holy Sacrament and I wish to be with you always. I ask you that since I cannot receive sacramentally at the moment come into me spiritually though you have already come. Amen.
Blessed Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Jesus I adore You
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