Homily for May 25, 2008

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ A
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
1 Corinthians 10:16-17

By now most of us are fed up with polls. Day after day our TV news give us the latest polls on those campaigning to be our next President. But politics are not the only concerns that affect many Catholics. In December the United States Catholic Bishops provided us with a report on the believes and practices of U.S. Catholics. Among the topics considered was the importance of the Mass and Holy Communion in the life of Catholics.

One of the findings of the poll was that the more frequent a Catholic attends Mass, the more frequently a Catholic will participate in other Church or religious activities. Also, Catholics who go to Mass on a regular basis will also know more about their Catholic religion, will know more about the Catholic church, and will follow more closely the teachings of our Catholic religion in regards to doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. These Catholics also stated that Holy Eucharist is the most important sacrament for them. When they go to Mass they feel the presence of God and they want to receive Holy Communion. These same Catholics stated that of much less importance are the style of the church and the decorations.

Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. I mention this information today because this weekend we celebrate an important weekend Catholic faith weekend known as the Feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, formerly known as Corpus Christi. In some countries and even some parishes Catholics have outdoor parades with a gold container that holds a large host which we believe is Jesus Christ.

All of us will agree that food is a necessity for survival. A lack of food affects our physical and mental health. The quality of our thought processes and ability to learn depends on food. Yet, starvation of thousands is happening each day. Television brings us graphic pictures of starving people. However, for most people that is just news. Until you yourself replace the child or adult in Burma who has had no food for three weeks, and only dirty water to drink. It is only then that we can appreciate the food in our cupboards or on our table or in our public school cafeterias. Starvation of millions world wide should help us to think before we throw away good food.
If food is necessary for our physical survival, then it is logical for us to conclude that spiritual food is absolutely necessary for our spiritual survival. Jesus knew this. And so, the evening before he was to die on the cross he gathered together his twelve closest friends. He took some ordinary bread and wine, prayed over them, and then he said the very same words that I will say at this Mass over the bread and wine. And the Bread and Wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Before the Last Supper Jesus often used bread to teach a spiritual lesson. Jesus understands the hungers we have not only for nourishing our bodies, but also our minds and spirits as well. When he fed the 5000 people with bread and fish, Jesus recognized our need for physical nourishment. He said: I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Like many today those who sat down on the hillside did not believe what he said. Today Catholics who skip Mass regularly do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. To them, the Body and Blood of Jesus is symbolic or a memorial rather than His real presence.

Jesus’ invitation to dinner is an intimate one. He is saying, “Be one with me!” Throughout Mass, we are called to this intimate relationship with Jesus, not in a symbolic way but in a real time experience. At Mass the Eucharistic Minister and the altar server bring bread and wine to the altar. But at each Mass you also bring your gifts to the altar. You bring your gifts of hardships, of family quarrels, of sickness, of unemployment, of doubts, of pains and hurts, of challenges in your life. These gifts are included with bread and wine and returned to you at communion into the life giving gifts of Jesus Christ.

Jesus understands our struggle with faith. He provides us in the Eucharist a way to be connected to Him, the source and summit of life itself. We have the promise of Jesus, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

In the very same way you and I are called to leave this communion table after being nourished by the Lord and return to our homes, neighborhood, work places and schools and, just as Jesus did, to offer our lives to nourish those most in need. He is calling us to be his hands, his ears and his voice in a world that hungers to find meaning and purpose. Our communion today cannot have full meaning unless we are willing to be the presence of Jesus in this broken world, unless we are willing to break the bread of our lives to nourish others.

Jesus assures us that if we feed on him, his word and his teachings we will have eternal life and he will raise us up on the last day. This is a powerful promise and gives us great hope. I think he is also saying, like him, we too, must be united to the Father, and like him, we too, must feed the people whose lives we touch. We as fathers, mothers, married, single, whatever our state in life must break the bread of our lives to nourish others. If a loaf bread is not broken and shared it becomes stale and hard and people go hungry.

On this day of the Body and Blood of Christ let us remember God, Our Father, who feeds us, who gives us life, who holds us, listens to us, journey’s with us, who forgives us and loves us without conditions.

The word Eucharist is a Greek word that means THANKS. Each of us have so much in life to be thankful for. As we continue our Mass today less us remember this feast by giving thanks. Each of us are thankful to:

a wide variety of people
our family events and situations that are part of our life
the gift of our Catholic faith