THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

Friends,

 In the Roman Catholic Church, we celebrate the feast of food today. As we know too well, to grow physically strong, we eat good and healthy food, lift weight, exercise our bodies, and get enough sleep. Likewise, to grow spiritually strong, we need spiritual food and nourishment. Therefore, on this Sunday, we have an opportunity to remember that Christ gave us another kind of food, the spiritual food for our spiritual nourishment. Besides that, we also can join the singer in today’s psalm of thanksgiving knowing that our thanksgiving is a participation in the Lord’s thanksgiving. He, the Christ, is the mediator of the new covenant, the second reading highlights on this. By him giving us his Most Holy Body and Blood in the context of the Passover feast, he is offering us a way to be living in him and he in us and consequently, we receive his gift of salvation through that communion.

            Today, therefore, we rejoice for the spiritual sustenance we always get from the Lord’s gift of himself and the communion it brings when we gather to celebrate. The traditionally known feast by its Latin name ‘Corpus Christi’, builds our faith, develops it, and makes it flourish. Furthermore, we end up becoming the living Body of Christ that animates the world with radical love, the notion alluded to in today’s readings.

            In the first reading, blood is a symbol of life, and Moses sprinkles the blood of the sacrificed bull on both the altar and the people to signify their love, and desire to enter a covenant with God. Paul explains us how Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. He is both the priest offering the sacrifice, and the victim being offered. His own blood replaces that of animals. In doing this, Jesus brings us into that perfect love with God that wipes away our sins. The Gospel is an account of Jesus’ meal of love and thanksgiving with his dearest friends, when he transformed bread and wine into himself and gave as a gift of love and friendship. Here begins a new relationship between God and his people. So, as we celebrate the Eucharist today, let us offer to God a promise of undivided love.

 Christian Action This Week and Always: Offer yourself at the service of others without grumbling.

Joy and Peace.

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