The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
Genesis 14:18-20 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Luke 9:11-17
We might wonder why, on this Feast of Corpus Christi, we don’t read the Gospel passage describing the Last Supper. This was the event at which Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. Saint Luke, who in every chapter of his gospel mentions food, or eating or table fellowship, really did have a theology of food and he does describe the event of the Last Supper in his gospel (Luke 22:14-22).Today’s Gospel is about food and bread and eating but the emphasis is at a more basic level and on a real human experience. In our 2nd Reading today Saint Paul refers to the Last Supper and reminds us of the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ – ‘Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim the death of the Lord Jesus’.
The Gospel today, the feeding of the 5000, recounts an event early in the ministry of Jesus: it pre-figures the celebration of the Last Supper and we recognise in it many of the familiar elements of the Last Supper.
Jesus ‘took the loaves … said the blessing … broke them … and handed them to his disciples to distribute them …’ these were familiar things – the loaves – these were human actions – the taking, the blessing, the breaking, the handling and distributing! They are the actions of the great high priest, even greater than the actions of Melchizedek (in our 1st Reading), who was regarded as even superior to Abraham. And Saint Luke uses them to us reveal how privileged are they who receive and benefit from them.
We can so easily take what we receive for granted. We can easily forget, lose appreciation, be nonchalant or casual when experiencing what is sacred beyond explanation. Saint Paul warned of this too when he taught ‘Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable. Examine yourselves …. All who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves’ (1Cor 11:27-32).
When we encounter the Body of Christ exposed in a monstrance for adoration we can bow down in awe; when the Blessed Sacrament is carried on our streets we do not hesitate to fall on our knees. The Lord comes even closer to us when we receive his Body and Blood in communion – His Body and Blood!
I recall a catechetical leaflet when we began to receive the Eucharist in our hands: It suggested that we present our hand in the form of a ‘Throne for the King’. This hand which I lift in prayer, this hand with which I serve others, this hand which works or plays, this hand which has sinned and been forgiven – a real hand, as real as the One who is enthroned on it at Holy Communion.
Saint Jean Vianney, the Cure of Ars, once said ‘that if Christ could have given a greater gift than His Body and Blood, He would have done so! There is no greater gift.
Blessed Carlo Acutis, who is to be canonised in September, made a digital collection of Eucharistic miracles many of which revealed real blood appearing on consecrated the host. This 15 year old was not held back by worldly wisdom or cynicism but led by his simple and pure Faith and a love for the person of Jesus.
Lord, give us a Faith that helps us recognise Your Body and Blood.