IX Sunday-OT: Corpus Christi: Jun-2: Gen14:18-20; 1Cor-11:23-26; Lk9:11-17

IX Sunday-OT: Corpus Christi: Jun-2: Gen14:18-20; 1Cor-11:23-26; Lk9:11-17

Augustinian nun Juliana of Liège had a vision in which a glistening full moon appeared to her. The moon was perfect but for some hollow dark spots which she was told represented the absence of a feast of the Eucharist. This led to the celebration of the feast of the Body of Christ, Corpus Christi, which was introduced into the church calendar in 1264.

The most precious gift that Jesus gave to his church is that which we celebrate today, the gift of his own body and blood in the form of bread and wine.  "Eucharist (Gr., eucharistia, thanksgiving), the Sacrament and sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ the Lord is Himself present, offered, and received under the species of bread and wine. The name is from the account of the last Supper."

The will of Jesus does not say a word about what Jesus taught. Its focus is on what Jesus did. He gave his body to his followers as food and his blood as drink. Remember, this was taking place in the context of the Passover meal. So Jesus was presenting himself as their Passover lamb. The Israelites in Egypt had to eat the flesh of the Passover lamb to identify themselves as God’s own people. They marked their doorposts with its blood as a sign to keep away the angel of death. Every Israelite was supposed to participate in this ritual every year to renew their identity as God’s people who enjoy God’s special blessings and protection. Seen in this light, the Eucharist becomes for us the place where we come to renew ourselves as God’s new people in Christ.

Story:  Remember the two little kids who (as they would later tell the story) “almost drowned” in the storm on the lake? After their father had brought them ashore, what did he do? Well, of course, he gave them something to eat. Now their father was not much of a cook and their mother had gone shopping with their big sister. So he didn’t know quite what to give them to eat. What would you like to eat, he asked them. Ice cream, said the little boy. Chocolate ice cream said the little girl. With chocolate sauce, the little boy insisted. And whipped cream the little girl added. And raspberries, the little boy finished their litany of wants. Well, the father wasn’t even very good at making chocolate ice cream sundaes with raspberries and chocolate sauce and whipped cream. But his little kids wanted it and they had just recovered from at terrible scare so he did his best.  Food becomes Life-giving, relief, comfort, love, relationship, and occasion of socialization.  For Christ it is sacrament and also a sacrifice.

Practical applications:  Jesus invites us to the banquet. “Do this in remembrance of me … Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me” (verses 24-25). Folks, this is the last thing Jesus asked us to do before he died. He asked to keep doing it as often as possible until his return in glory (verse 26). Why then is it that many of us take the Eucharist so lightly? We seem to be so ready to skip attending Mass at the slightest excuse: “I just didn’t feel like going … We were on vacation … I don’t like Pastor John’s preaching, I seem to get more from the TV service.” But no amount of television programming can take the place of Holy Communion. Let us today ask our Lord Jesus to increase our faith in the sacrament of his body and blood which he gives us in the form of bread and wine.

Introduction: Corpus Christi

Message: Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, offers bread and wine as a blessing upon Abram.  Jesus fulfills this offering, giving us his own Body and Blood under the forms of bread and wine.  Thus is our hunger satisfied in abundance as we make our pilgrim way to the heavenly banquet feast.

Saints and Events in this Week:  3-Monday-Saint Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs; 5-Wednesday-Saint Boniface, bishop, martyr; 6-Thursday-Saint Norbert, bishop; 7-Friday-The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus; 8-Jun-Immaculate Heart of Mary;