Christ and the Eucharist
May 29, 2005 Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (A) - White
First Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147 "Praise the Lord, Jerusalem"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Gospel: John 6:51-58
Sequence: Lauda Sion (pref. Short Form from the Lectionary; may be recited optionally before the Alleluia)
"For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink."
Today’s solemnity brings us the feast of the Blessed Sacrament. This Blessed Sacrament is the mystery of Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. Therefore, just like the feast of the Trinity, our celebration today is a feast of our faith, the feast of our doctrine, not a feast of a biblical event in contrast to the Easter mysteries that we have celebrated.
Since today is the feast of the Eucharist, we remember the mystery of Jesus’ self-giving sacrifice. In the Eucharist, He gives us his own body and blood so that we might have life to the full. During the consecration, the bread that we offer transforms in to the real flesh of Christ; and the wine transforms into the real blood of Christ poured out to cleanse our sins. Therefore, the Eucharistic feast we celebrate to day has 3 points:
1. It is a celebration of the presence of Christ in the bread and wine that we offer in the Holy sacrifice of the mass.
2. It is the the unbloody celebration and re-enactment of the bloody sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.
3. It is a celebration of our intense Eucharistic devotion to Christ as a mystery of our faith.
Today’s Solemnity of Corpus et Sangue Christi (Official Latin name meaning "body and blood of Christ") is given more significance because of our year-long celebration of the International Year of the Eucharist, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II to run from October 2004 to October 2005. However, we must see it as a devotion more than a mere celebration for in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Jesus our Lord is truly present and therefore, our participation in this devotion is a sign of our proclamation of faith in our lives.
Living as Christians
Receive Christ wholeheartedly in the Most Holy Eucharist and experience it’s healing powers in your life through this devotion.
Reflection in honor of the Novena to the Most Sacred Heart of Christ
The Most Holy Eucharist is very much closely related to the Most Sacred Heart of Christ. The Eucharist is Christ’s self-giving for our redemption while his Most Sacred Heart is his intense love and embrace to our calling as Christians.
Jesus is real food for our souls. Only through Jesus can we be able to fathom the mysteries of our faith and this is through our Eucharistic devotion and our belief in the love of Christ in his Most Sacred Heart. Whenever we receive the body of Christ in our lives, we are always in communion with Christ and the Church.
Therefore, the devotion of the Sacred Heart, through prayer, is always intensely Eucharistic.
