Reflection for The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – June 6, 2021

By Linda Fitzgerald, Notre Dame Associate

First Reading:  Exodus 24:3-8 God establishes his covenant between His people and himself.

Second Reading:  Hebrews 9:11-15 The mediator of the new covenant is Christ.

Gospel:  Mark 4:12-16, 22-26 Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.  This Passover meal celebrates God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt.  They thank God for His protection.

This Sunday we celebrate Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  We celebrate the Real Presence of the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ in the elements of the Eucharist.

It is very interesting to see what part St. Thomas Aquinas, Sr. Juliana, a Belgium nun, and Pope Urban the IV and others played in the history of Corpus Christi.  The festival was instituted throughout the church by Pope Urban IV in 1264.  Beautiful processions are symbols of oneness with God.

Our Catechism of the Catholic Church calls our Eucharist the “source and summary of our faith.”  (No. 1327) and the Second Vatican Council’s name is “source and summit of the Christian life.”  (Lumen, Gentium, No. 11).In June of 2019, I was blessed to see the current “upper room” or Cenacle just outside the Old City of Jerusalem on Mt. Zion, above the (Tomb of David).  The room is perhaps built upon a remnant of an early fourth century Byzantine church.  In that room is a statue of a mother pelican who was unable to find food.  She pokes holes in her breasts and her chicks are nourished by her blood.  The mother dies and the chicks survive. This statue is a symbol of Christ who feeds us in the Eucharist.  Christ gave His blood for the salvation of the world for humankind.

Do I allow myself to be drawn into the amazing awe of God’s presence?

Do I use His strength and power from His Eucharist to do my (our) real purpose…to love and serve God and other people about me (us)?

My most heartfelt love to convert to Catholicism was and is the Eucharist.

Blessings and peace to all.