June 22, 2025・Corpus Christi - The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (C)

Genesis 14.18-20・Psalm 110.1+2, 3+4・1 Corinthians 11.23-26・Luke 9.11b-17

We come regularly in a Sunday Liturgy understanding that Mass is the highest form of prayer. We participate in the celebration of the Holy Mass with the community. We continue to deepen our understanding that in fact each time we come to the Holy Mass, there is an ongoing sacrifice. We literally receive the Body of Christ, strengthening our minds and body, and changing our hearts. For this year`s celebration, specifically emphasized in our Gospel Reading, like Jesus feeding the five thousand, there is a call to accept the calling to feed more people and spread the produce of our “conversion.”

We have in our first reading the story about Melchizedek, the King of Salem, and priest. He offered bread and wine to Abraham fulfilling his role as a priest. That occasion foreshadows the Eucharist wherein the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. We will also be reflecting on the eternal priesthood of Christ, offering Himself as His ultimate sacrifice.

We also emphasize the community dimension of our celebration today. The liturgical celebration of the Holy Mass is in its very nature, and therefore essential, is a community action asking for active participation. Active participation means having a truly present minds, hearts, and body, asking each one to truly identify oneself with the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. Each one who is in active participation, and as part of the Body of Christ, forms one body, the community of faith, the Body of Christ.  The outcome of each one`s complete identification with Jesus then becomes a community relationship with Him. The chapter (1 Cor. 12.12~) which is next to our second reading today talks about the community of faith as Body of Christ. There is one Body but many parts. We are Body of Christ. Each one of us is part of one Body of Christ.

While we continue our reflection about today`s Solemnity of Corpus Christ, we may pull-in a bit of the theme of the liturgy of Thursday of Holy Week in which we generally understand as Mass of the Lord`s Supper.  On that instance, the emphases are about Jesus` institution of the Holy Eucharist and about the Eucharist as a gift to us as one of Jesus’ last activity before his suffering and death. The Eucharist as a gift becomes a memorial of God`s love to be forever kept in human`s mind and heart. Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Jesus said that the bread is His body and the Cup is the new covenant in His blood, for as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim His sacrifice and death until He comes again.

Even outside Mass time, the presence of Jesus in the form of Bread kept in the tabernacle remains. Visiting the Blessed Sacrament, and “just be” in front of the tabernacle to receive the merit of the mystery of the Holy Eucharist has been a consoling method of prayer of a devout Catholic. It is not boring not even tiring to be near the Blessed Sacrament. In contrast, it is in fact purely the power of Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament that draws us closer, and therefore desiring/wanting to spent more time “to just be there.” It is our faith that the power of the Blessed Sacrament also extends to curing the sick person with the same faith we have. Blessed are those spending time in silence in front of the tabernacle, as well as those attending exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (Holy Hour).