The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

The scripture readings for the Feast of Corpus Christi can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061817.cfm

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is over 700 years old. Because Holy Thursday, when the Lord gave us the Eucharist, occurs in Holy Week which centers on the Lord’s Passion and Death, the Church set aside this special feast in June to reflect on the Eucharist itself, the gift of Jesus to His Church.

As Catholics we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He is truly present: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the host and wine used at Mass. The Real Presence is the teaching of the sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel. “The one who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has life eternal” says the Lord (John 6:54). This is central to our faith in Christ: the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

When we come to church, we don’t have to hope that the Lord will be there. His presence doesn’t depend on our mood, our feelings, our holiness, or even on our faith. Christ is TRULY PRESENT in the Eucharist by His promise and power. That is what is meant by the “Real Presence.” When entering a Catholic Church, the Lord is truly present in the tabernacle and at Mass not symbolically but actually. The distinctive strength, the center and heart of Catholic spirituality is the power of the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

As a result of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, we need to be sure to receive Him worthily. I would encourage all to regularly use of the Sacrament of Confession. St. Paul tells us, “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.^” (1 Corinthians 11:27)

The Eucharist embodies everything that Jesus did for us and everything that Jesus is for us. It is a mystery of faith that gathers together Jesus’ teaching, His Passion, His Resurrection and his pledge of eternal life for us. So, let us approach the Blessed Sacrament worthily and with great devotion.