Corpus Christi Sunday, Year A

"If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever"

During the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated a meal together with the apostles to institute the Eucharist - the sacrament of His body and blood. The way that the group celebrated the meal was one of solemnity since Jesus knew that His time has come. His time has come to obey the will of the Father to give His life as a ransom for many. The apostles, not yet knowing fully what the meal meant, soon realized that they too were to celebrate that meal with others so that all may eat of the body and blood of the Savior.

That first Eucharistic meal in the upper room was probably a simple ritual. It is truly devoid of all the many details our present Eucharistic celebration has now. However, the spirit by which Jesus celebrated the meal is passed on to us through that institution of the Eucharist in the Last Supper and continues today as it was passed on by the apostles to those who too would be given the power and the authority to preside over the Eucharistic celebration.

We who are recipients of the Eucharistic species are fortunate that we shall gain the eternal life promised to us by Christ our Savior. It is thus important that we do not take for granted the blessings and the graces that the Eucharist can give us. More than physical food, it is the real food that we need on the journey of life. Bread is easily consumed and can easily be wasted, but the Eucharistic bread is a nourishment that fills our being with light. It brings us out of the darkness of sin and towards following the path trodded by our Lord - a path of sacrifice and service and self-denial - for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

In this feast of Corpus Christi, let us thank the Lord for the gift of the Eucharist, the sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Savior. By this sacrament, we are made into one community moving forward towards our salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us be thankful that we are able to celebrate it in peace. There are many countries in the world were Catholics sometimes cannot be able to celebrate the Eucharist because of the peace and order situation of their country. Let us pray for countries such as this that they may find peace in the knowledge of Christ, the Prince of Peace. And let us also pray for our ministers, that they may preside well over the Eucharist, and be given the strength to be faithful in their ministry and their clerical vocation. Let us also pray for ourselves, that we continue to learn more deeply of the mystery of the person of Christ by continuously immersing ourselves in the celebration, adoration and contemplation of the Eucharist. The more we know Christ, the more we will have faith in Him. And the more we have faith in Him, the more we will be always at His service.