The Feast of Corpus Christi

Scripture readings for the Feast of Corpus Christi can be found at  http://usccb.org/bible/readings/060715.cfm

There is a marble staircase outside St. John Lateran in Rome. It was a gift from Constantine the Great to the Holy See in 326. It is no ordinary staircase. It is believed to be the steps Jesus climbed to the judgment hall of Pontius Pilate after his scourging. It is now covered with wood for protection; however, there are holes in the wood revealing not only the marble, but allegedly it reveals the drops of Jesus’ blood. Pilgrims ascend the steps on their knees. They believe that they are near the blood of Christ.

Today’s feast of the Body & Blood of Christ commemorates the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We, as Catholics, believe that we receive Christ, body and blood, soul and divinity under the appearance of ordinary bread and common wine. This feast was established in 1264. At mass, we drink the blood of Christ.

This belief is based on what we read in Scripture. In the gospel of St. Mark, we read, “While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.’” (Mark 14: 22-24)

The last supper Jesus shared with his disciples is intended to be understood as a Passover meal. Mark’s Gospel is more interested in focusing on the new meaning Jesus will give to this meal. This final meal Jesus shares with His disciples looks back to the great liberating event of the Passover. It was then that God freed the people from the domination of Pharaoh.

This meal focuses also on the present moment when Jesus declares that this bread and this wine become his presence in terms of a new covenant sealed in his blood. And it looks forward to the end of time when such table fellowship will be experienced in the messianic banquet in the Kingdom of God.

The gospel does not give us a systematic understanding of the Eucharist. Instead, it shows us Jesus right before he was to go to his death. He gathers his disciples within the context of something very old (Passover) to give them something very new (the Eucharist). He creates for them a new covenant. These disciples must carry on the work of Jesus. They will be able to do that work through the empowerment of his presence. The Eucharist is always an encounter of the people of God with the powerful presence of Jesus.

We, like the first disciples, encounter the REAL presence of Jesus each time we receive Holy Communion at Mass. We then are able to go into the world, nourished by His body and blood, to bring the Good News of Jesus to a world that needs His peace and presence.

We may not approach the altar on our knees as pilgrims do on Rome’s sacred steps. However, we can pray that we have their reverence for Christ’s sacrifice. They may be viewing drops of Christ’s blood. We are consuming the life-giving blood and body of Christ!