The Body and Blood of Christ
Intro: We come together today to celebrate the memorial of Jesus' death and resurrection, and to be fed with His everlasting gift - His Body, Blood, the bread of everlasting life, which enables us to live forever. The Eucharist joins us, not only with Him, but with one another, as we share the one bread and the one cup.
Readings: in Deuteronomy, Moses reminds his people that they owe everything to God Who brought them out of slavery and provided for them in the wilderness.
To illustrate the danger of sharing pagan banquets, Paul warns the troubled and divided Corinthian community that those who participate in the Eucharist are united, not only with God, but with one another as they become one body in Christ.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16;
1 Corinthians 10: 16-17;
John 6: 51-58;
Today's feast, that of the Body and Blood of Christ - Corpus Christi - celebrates the gift of the Eucharist to us. It gives us the opportunity to think about what happens when we celebrate it, and to remember what makes it so special.
In today's first reading, Moses reminds us of God's gift of manna - bread from Heaven - to his Chosen People. Paul also points out the importance of the Eucharist, the memorial which recreates the sacrifice which Jesus offered of Himself on Calvary. He reminds His followers that He is the true Bread of Life, come down from Heaven, giving His own flesh and blood, something much greater than the manna of the 0.T., and that in doing so He fulfils the Scriptures with that gift.
In every Mass, we have a re-presentation of the sacrifice which He offered on Calvary, a reminder of the the fact that there He shed the last drop of His blood for us; and we have the mystery of transsubstantiation, when the substances of bread and wine are completely changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Up to the consecration, there exists on the altar our simple gifts of bread and wine presented at the offertory. At the words of consecration, those substances of bread and wine become Jesus' Body and Blood; the accidents (taste, smell, look) remain but there now exists the true Body and Blood of Christ Himself, just like the Last Supper.
We give a present to someone to show the depth of our love. In the Mass, Jesus doesn't just give us some inanimate object ... He gives us His whole Self - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - to show the depth, the totality of His love.
We all know the saying, "familiarity breeds contempt." While I'm sure that we're never contemptuous of the Eucharist, it's easy to take that gift for granted; It can become a routine, something to squeeze into our Sunday schedule. Perhaps today is as good a time as any to pull ourselves up short and realise, not only the cost of that gift - a life - a divine life - the life of God's own Son! and consider how well we prepare to celebrate the gift of the Eucharist, especially when we can't receive It.
So let's use today as a real opportunity to refresh our sense of the dignity and worth of the Sacrament, and above all to give thanks to Christ for His sacrifice on the cross, and for the Eucharist which allows us to become one with Him, and so gain eternal life.
Intercessions
Each time we pray the Our Father, we ask Him to provide us with food for body and soul. Confident that He will give us everything we need, let us pray:-
1. For the universal Church. Through the strength of the Eucharist, may She always be seen as a sign of unity and love for all peoples - Lord, hear us.
2. For leaders of nations, and all who govern. May they continue to work for a more just and peaceful world - Lord, hear us.
3. May the Eucharist always be seen as a sign of unity among Christians of all denominations, so that once more there may be one fold and one Shepherd - Lord, hear us.
4. We pray for our priests who celebrate the Eucharist, for deacons who proclaim Your word, and for all Your faithful people, particularly our young people who have just received Communion for the first time - Lord, hear us.
5. Strengthen our own faith, so that we may participate more fully in Your Sacrament of love - Lord, hear us.
6. May Anthony Morgan, Rose Michael, John Aitken and John McCartney who received Your Body and Blood while here on earth, together with those from past times: Sally Campbell, Gerald Halfpenny, Margaret Christie and Elizabeth Watson, now come to the eternal banquet prepared for them in Heaven - Lord, hear us.
God our Father, as we celebrate the gift of Your Son in the Eucharist, renew in us our appreciation of It, so that we may never take It for granted, but always approach the altar with reverence and love.