My dear friends in Christ, we are in June and the first Sunday of the Month. This Month is very significant, because, it is the month of the Sacred H
eart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Nativity of John the Baptist. Most importantly, this Sunday we are c
elebrating the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ popularly known as Corpus
Christi.
The feast of Corpus Christi was introduced in the late 13th century to encourage the faithful to give special adoration to the Holy Eucharist. Later on, it was made a universal feast in the Latin Church in 1312. Traditionally, this Solemnity is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. However, where it is not a day of obligation, it is celebrated on the Sunday following the Trinity Sunday.
The readings of this liturgy talked about the covenant, sacrifice, and blood. While the first reading talked about how the Old Covenant was ratified with the blood of animals, both the second reading and gospel tell us that the New Covenant was sealed with the Blood of Christ. By the sacrificial death of Christ, the supreme high priest, God has entered into a new and eternal covenant with his people. And so, the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ is the game changer. The temple sacrifice is no longer that of the animal, Christ himself has become both the priest and lamb of sacrifice. While the first covenant never guaranteed eternal life, the new Covenant guaranteed everlasting life, because it is sealed with a costly Blood sacrificed once and for all.
As a priest, Christ offered himself for our salvation. He became both the priest and victim. He instituted the Holy Eucharist to memorialize his abiding presence in the Church. So, whenever we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, Christ is fully present both as the priest and the Victim. This he accomplished through the action of human agents (priests) who is another Christ (Alter Christus), and who act in the person of Christ (in persona Christi).
The Holy Eucharist is a celebration of faith, and hope of eternal life. It is the heart and center of our worship. According to Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Holy Eucharist is the source and the summit of the Christian life… the culmination both of God’s action, sanctifying the world in Christ, and of the worship men offer to Christ…” (CCC 1324-5). And so, this Solemnity is a celebration of life, salvation and grace. It teaches and continues to remind us that the Holy Eucharist is the true body and blood of Christ which nourishes our soul. In the Eucharist, we experience the full presence of Jesus, Body, Soul and Divinity.
Worthy to note that, whenever we participate in the Holy Eucharist, we are participating not only in the life of Christ, but in the life of the church as well. If we present ourselves before him daily, he will fill us with wisdom and show us the best way to approach life. It means that we need to be more attentive, and give reverence and adoration to the Holy Eucharist by spending more time in His divine presence. Again, any moment that we spent in the presence of the Holy Eucharist is a moment of grace. “… By the Eucharistic Celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all” (CCC 1326). Let us adore Christ by saying: “Oh Sacrament Most Holy; Oh, Sacrament Divine, all praises and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.” Jesus meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto yours. Peace be with you!