THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

(CORPUS CHRISTI)-CYCLE-A

SOLEMNITY

I Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3.14-16: He fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known.

II Reading: 1 Cor 10:16-17: That there is one loaf that, though there are many of us, we form a single body.

Gospel: John 6:51-58: My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Eucharist as a unique means for our salvation. Jesus communicated his life to us more intensely and we realize the life-giving Bread for our spiritual life, both as individuals and as a Christian community.

In the first reading, Moses reminds the people of God’s provision of food in the form of manna; in the wilderness. God is life and He cares for His people giving all needful things and He shares His divine life.

Paul urges the Corinthians to avoid the use of foods offered to pagan idols and he states that the Eucharist bonds believers into a single body, for they have made their communion with Christ in his Body and Blood.

Jesus Christ came into the world to give back to humanity the divine life man lost by sin. Today we depend on Jesus Christ for the maintenance of divine-life and Jesus prepared the unique food of the Eucharist. The Christian community needs the Eucharist in order to live in grace, love and communion as one Body/Church of Christ. The “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving” to praise Christ for his Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins and for our spiritual nourishment to have eternal life.

A person must receive and partake of the Bread of Life. When he/she does, he/she receives five wonderful things.

1. The religionists were perplexed over Jesus’ words (v.52-53)

          a. They questioned partaking of His flesh

          b. Jesus proclaimed a much more shocking thing: unless one partakes of Him, he does not have life

2. Result 1: Eternal life-conquering death and being resurrected (v.54)

3. Result 2: True, not false satisfaction (v.55)

4. Result 3: Supernatural companionship and fellowship (v.56)

5. Result 4: A life that is full of purpose and meaning (v.57)

6. Result 5: Incorruptible food received within the heart-energizing life forever (v.58)

Thought: Unless a person receives (eats and drinks) Christ, he/she has no life within him/her. He/she is a dead person. (Eph 2:1; 5:14; Col 2:13; 1Tim 5:6; Rev 3:1)

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com