HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: THE EUCHARIST – OUR UNION AND COMMUNION
Exodus 24:3-8 / Psalm 116: 12-13, 15&16bc, 17-18 (R. 13) / Hebrews 9:11-15 / Accl. John 6:51 / Mark 14:12-16, 22-26.
BY: Fr Peter Gabriel Okon
Just following the Pentecost Sunday are two transitional feast. One is the solemnity of of the Most Holy Trinity, celebrated last Sunday and that of today, the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, the mystery of Love. This mystery of love is linked to the bloody sacrifice of the cross, it is the mystery of the Real Presence of Christ in The Eucharist, the unbloody sacrifice offered at every masses celebrated, which was instituted by Christ Himself at His Last Supper. The Eucharist is at the centre of our liturgy, it unites us and joins us in communion with our Head, Jesus Christ.
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The II Vatican Fathers, in the document, Eucharisticum Mysterium, has this on today’s mystical celebration. “The mystery of the Eucharist is the centre of the sacred liturgy and indeed of the whole Christian life. Consequently the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, continually seeks to understand and to live the Eucharist more fully.” This explains why every year, two occasions, that is, Today and Holy Thursday, are set aside to deeply reflect upon and celebrate this mystery- The Eucharist.
The solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ – Corpus et sanguis Christi celebrates Jesus’ gift of himself to us, as our Spiritual food. Here Jesus gives Himself to us so completely that there is nothing more to give. He offers His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity instantaneously and completely at the pronouncement of the words of Consecration by the Priest, making possible His Real Presence in the Eucharist, as fully God and fully Man. This is the re- enactment, an anamnesis of the Last Supper, where Jesus first offered His Body and Blood to us.
Why would Jesus, make Himself Really Present to us in the Eucharist?
1. In the Most Blessed Sacrament celebrated, adored and eaten as Spiritual food, the life of Christ is ever present with us, calling us to make ALL THAT HE PRESENTS truly present in this world, so as to merit a share in His Eternal Presence. Here the Eucharist is a paradigm of Love. He offers Himself in love, and we who are his disciples should offer all that we are to Him through love of our neighbour.
2. Jesus leaves us His Body and Blood as “Real Food” – His Real Presence, to enable us remain one with Him, in Communion with Him, to be nourished by Him, so as to return to Him and remain Eternally with Him. The Eucharist is our Spiritual food, that fills us that we no longer thirst or hunger for anything else, except Him and Him alone.
3. The Eucharist calls us to fellowship, that is communion with the Church, the Body of Christ. This fact is captured in St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians” …we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1Cor. 10:17). The unity of the Church, the Body of Christ is to be seen and fully expressed in the Eucharistic banquet. The Eucharist binds us with Christ and with one another. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:54).
Dearly beloved, to achieve and fully live out the aim for which Jesus leaves His Body and Blood for us in the Eucharist, we must necessarily believe in Him, His Real Presence in the Eucharist and Receive Him, even though we are unworthy to receive Him under our roof.
In the bread of life discourse in John chapter 6, Jesus constantly invites us to a deeper faith and trust in Him. This He does because he knows that by our human thinking alone, what He offers us will not make any sense to us. We need faith, we need to believe in His Real Presence in the Bread and Wine, now his Body and Blood. Doubt about this is an abuse of the Eucharist and a rejection of Jesus, and by implication, a rejection of Eternal life.
The Eucharist equally is at the centre of the office and life of a Priest, who shares in the Priesthood of Christ. Thus, we have to reverently celebrate this gift and mystery for ourselves and for others by worthy preparations. It is the sincere effort to offer the best of ourselves that is required here. The way and manner of our celebration of this mystery can enhance the faith of the community or mar it by abuses and aberrations. The Eucharist is our strength and life, our union and communion, the real food of eternal life. It is the life of Christ, offered for us, so that we may have life through Him.
May our celebration and reception of Jesus in the Eucharist cleanse us of our faults and lead us to share in His eternity Amen.
Wishing you a glorious Sunday and a happy new month.
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