Dear Parishioners & Guests,

This Sunday, we turn to yet another great solemnity in the Church’s liturgical year. It is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi.)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the importance of the Eucharist (Thanksgiving) and why we have this great feast. The catechism states the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life… for in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the church, namely Christ himself.” (CCC1324).

This is why we make a big deal of this celebration. At every Mass, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist. The word enlightens us and the bread sustains us on our spiritual journey. So, the Eucharist is real food and not a symbol. We know this for sure because while the Hebrews were wandering in the desert, God provided them with real bread, which the people did not recognize and called it “manna” which meant “what is this?” And people lived on this real, heavenly bread for 40 years.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus reminded the people of Jerusalem of the miracle of manna in the desert, and that those people eventually died, but he had a better offer–he was the real bread that came down from heaven to nourish the people. And “if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh” Obviously, there were many concerns about eating the flesh of a person.

They disputed among themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat. Jesus doubled down and stated that not only he is the “true food” and “true drink,” and unless a person eats the flesh of Jesus and drinks his blood, he would have no life within. Jesus adds, “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day, for my flesh is “true food” and my blood is “true drink.” Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

The importance of this solemnity is what it means to us. Saint Paul wonderfully states that we are participating in the body and blood of Christ when we break bread or celebrate the Eucharist. So, even though we are many, we are one body and we are in communion with one another. And since Christ is within us, we are connected to the heavenly hosts, the angels and all the saints in heaven and on earth. Just like the host, which consists of many flour particles, and becomes one host, so do we, many as we are, become one in Christ.

So, when we go to Mass, we receive the enlightenment of the word and the body of Christ to sustain us. Still another important aspect of attending Mass is that because of receiving the body and blood of Christ, we are in communion with one another and all the saints. This is why we become brothers and sisters.

Blessings to you all,

Deacon Matt Calabrese