Homily Feast of Corpus Christi Year A

 

Reading 1: God prefigured and foreshadowed the gift of his Body and Blood by the lesser gift of manna to feed the Israelites in the desert. Moses reminded the people toward the end of their journey that the gift of manna was given to them, not just to feed their bodies, but to remind them of several things.

 

1)   Through their forty year journey in the desert, God directed their journey to test whether they would keep his commandments and thus enter into the Promised Land. 2) They were to remember that bread is important to live physically, but God’s word and obedience to it is necessary to live eternally. 3) They were not to forget what God had done for them.

 

What is the application for us? Our life journey is to test our acceptance and commitment to God. This will determine whether we will be with God or not in eternity. This test is based on the acceptance of and the embracing of the word of God as our way of life. Finally, like the Israelites, this realization that we must not forget what God has done for us, must be recalled to mind and celebrated in thanksgiving.

 

Reading 2: The bread and wine are changed, transformed radically and substantially into the Body and Blood of Christ. Thus, when we partake, we partake not in bread and wine but the very Body and Blood of Christ. Our oneness with Christ in the Eucharist also signifies our oneness with each other because of the Eucharist.

 

How conscious are we of each of these reality? God dwells in me and I in God. Mystery of faith beyond reason! What is happening after Communion during those moments of intimacy with Jesus? How conscious are we when we leave the Church of this presence and oneness with God? Because it is the same Jesus in me as in you, by his presence we are united as brothers and sisters. How can I choose to sin against another, if I am conscious of this mystery? How can I choose to say or think negative against another, who also receive Jesus in Eucharist? What is our disposition after Communion?

 

Gospel: The focus of the Gospel message is that to eat the Body and Blood of Christ is not a symbolic gesture. In faith, we are consuming the real Body and Blood of Jesus. To eat his Body is to have eternal life. Human beings have looked for the fountain of youth. This is the fountain of life that exists after physical death. Everyone desires to live forever. True life is not physical life, which is here today and gone tomorrow, but divine life of God which is eternal.

 

How much clearer can Jesus be? Unless you eat my Body and drink my Blood you will not have eternal life. He is talking about an internal, invisible reality.

 

The Pew Research Center a few years ago did a survey of Catholics concerning their belief in the Eucharist. They discovered that only one-third of Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. From observing over the years how people approach the Eucharist and what they do afterwards, I tend to believe that this statistic is accurate, unfortunately.

 

Am I complacent or attentive when I receive the Eucharist? Do I approach the moment of Communion as a matter of fact or out of routine? Or do I realize how unworthy I am to receive the God of Gods the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ, True God and True Man into this sinful body?  Am I overwhelmed each time I receive, reflecting on the words I said prior: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

 

Approach in awe and wonder and celebrate in thanksgiving the love of God shown us in such marvelous ways.