Word to the Wise
Sunday, June 22, 2014 - Sunday after Trinity Sunday: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (formerly called Corpus Christi"") - A"
[Deut 8:2-3, 14b-16a; 1 Cor 10:16-17; John 6:51-58]The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. [1 Corinthians]
We Catholics have a lot of different ways of referring to the central sacramental mystery of our faith. We speak of "celebrating the Eucharist," "the Blessed Sacrament," "receiving communion," "the consecrated host," "the Body and Blood of Christ," "the sacrifice of the Mass,"etc. Today's feast is a celebration of that central reality - that by the power of the Holy Spirit and the prayer of the Church, the bread and wine we offer becomes the Body and Blood of Christ.
In many places today there will be processions in which a consecrated host - the Blessed Sacrament - will be carried in a special container called a "monstrance" [from the Latin, "monstrare" meaning "to show"] along with incense and candles. Much of this ritual tradition goes back to the Middle Ages, but the essential reality goes back to Christ himself. St. Paul's words, quoted above, were written less than 50 years after the Last Supper! It was on that occasion that we believe the Lord established this particular way in which the community would continue his physical presence through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The "celebration of the Eucharist," which we call "the Mass," took a long time to develop and has gone through many changes, as we who were brought up before the Second Vatican Council can readily testify! But the central act of that ritual, the transformation of bread and wine into the Body of Christ, has remained and is still the "source and summit" of all our worship. It deserves worthy and reverent reception and worship on our part, and not a casual participation. It has a "here and now" meaning, a "do this in memory of me" meaning, and it is a pledge of eternal life. AMEN
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