Word to the Wise
Sunday, June 10, 2007 - The Body and Blood of Christ - Corpus Christi
[Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11b-17]Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.
The traditional Catholic celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi features a procession with the Blessed Sacrament exposed in an elaborate casing called a "monstrance." (Latin: monstrare - to show) In days past, and perhaps still now, the procession would pause at various "stations" where the Blessed Sacrament would be incensed. The emphasis in such an observance is on the sacredness of the consecrated host - the Body of Christ - and our corresponding duty to give proper worship and reverence to this sacred reality. This devotional practice rose out of centuries of reflection and development in the Church's understanding of the Eucharist. Even so, St.Paul reports the words of Jesus at the last supper and also admonishes the community to approach the bread and the cup. (1 Cor. 11:28) The above contrasts with the scene from the Gospel of Luke which features the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. In this scene the gospel writer provides us with a context that includes the past, the present, and the future. It speaks of God feeding the chosen people in the desert in the past. It speaks to the hunger of the people who were with Jesus in that present moment. It speaks of Jesus' total gift of himself. It speaks to the abundance of the messianic kingdom in the future. All of these meanings are part of the church's understanding of the Eucharist, but they can be lost if we concentrate on an inspiring ritual without understanding the richness of the scriptural teaching - which is why this scripture is read on this Sunday. Then, in the celebration of the Eucharist, we can understand the importance of the "acclamation:" "When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory." Last but not least by joining others in procession or at the Eucharistic celebration, we learn that "communion" is more than receiving the Body of the Lord, for St. Paul teaches us that we are the Body of Christ and members one of another. Receiving the Body of the Lord is more than a personal act of faith and piety, it must be a declaration of our love of neighbor too. "This is my body which is given for you! Do this in memory of me!" AMEN
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