June 2000

Corpus Christi: God's Feast Day

 Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ, is the only feast day dedicated exclusively to honoring the true and living presence of God among us!  Scripture tells us in John 1:14 “The word became flesh and dwelt among us”.  Later in John 6:51 Jesus tells us “I Myself Am the Living Bread come down from heaven”.  Corpus Christi is a feast of great rejoicing, a day of receiving and remembering our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  The best way to celebrate this wondrous gift to us is by participating in Holy Mass, receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, and Adoring Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  By being truly present to Him in Holy Communion with an open heart and spirit we can really commune with Him, look at Him, talk to Him, listen to Him and His inspirations, and feel His presence. It is the perfect opportunity to remember Jesus' constant and continual presence in the tabernacles of our churches where He always waits for us and beckons “ Could you not watch one hour with Me?” (Mt 26:40)  Many churches throughout our world customarily have Eucharistic Adoration on this great feast day where Jesus, in the Sacred Host, is placed upon the altar inside a monstrance, where we can gaze upon Him 'face to face' and have a 'heart to heart' talk with Him.  Many parishes have Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration where we can look upon Jesus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round.  John 6:40 tells us “Indeed, this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day.”
 The Second Vatican Council and all the Popes of this century have frequently stated very emphatically that “the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith as Catholics.” Our Eucharistic Lord is the greatest treasure of our faith.  Why?  Because it is really Him present in the Eucharist Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity! Though we can see Him only through the eyes of faith, we can see and experience the results of His true presence both interiorly and exteriorly.  When we receive our Eucharistic Jesus in Holy Communion we are reformed, transformed and strengthened.  We are reformed into true Christian disciples, transformed into His image and strengthened and nourished for our daily walk with Him.  We are fed by Jesus in the Sacred Host, He is our “Soul Food”.  Just as our bodies need food for energy, so do our souls lest we grow weary from spiritual starvation.  We need Jesus in the Eucharist for our very survival and revival.  When we receive and spend time in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist we are energized and empowered to love and serve God and others.  The same Jesus who once walked our earth continues his ministry of love and healing, repairing and restoring, in His Holy Eucharist.  He continues to heal bodies, minds and souls as He once did.  In Matthew 28:30 these were the words of our resurrected and living Lord just before His ascension into heaven, “Know that I am with you always until the end of the world”.  Countless numbers of healings have taken place and continue to take place, which are considered Eucharistic miracles.  Many people have experienced physical healings, healings of addictions, memories and emotional problems, healings of relationships and so much more.  Many have obtained these healings for others through intercessory prayer, offering their Holy Communions for others and interceding for others in their Holy Hours of Adoration before Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament—Who is our Divine Physician. He tells us “Come To Me all of you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you.” “Cast all of your anxieties upon the Lord, who cares for you.” (Mt 11:28; 1 Pt 5:7)
 We need never be afraid to go directly to Jesus in the Eucharist, nor need we be fearful of sending others to Him.  In John 6:37, Jesus tells us “no one who comes will I ever reject”.  Jesus stays with us out of His unfathomable love for us.  He remains in the tabernacles of our churches in a small piece of bread, a prisoner of love, because of His awesome and mysterious love for us.  Jesus wants us to be happy with Him for eternity.  In John 6:54, Jesus says “He who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.  Just as the Father who has life sent me and I have life because of the Father so the man who feeds on me will have life because of me.”
           In this intensely Eucharistic year 2000, let us respond to our Holy Father’s great desire which he voiced in his homily at the 45th International Eucharistic Congress in Seville, Spain, in June 1993. “I hope that this form of Perpetual Adoration, with permanent exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will continue into the future. Specifically, I hope that the fruit of this congress results in the establishment of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in all parishes and Christian communities throughout the world.”
           Pope John Paul II told the world, from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, “The best the surest and the most effective way of establishing everlasting peace on the face of the earth is through the great power of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.” When Jesus reigns as King, through Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, in every parish throughout the world-then every day will be God’s feast day! When this great day comes then He, The Prince of Peace, will bring true Peace. For He tells us in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “When My people humble themselves and seek My Presence...I will revive their land.” “Behold I come to make all things new!” (Rev 21:5)

Copyright Linda Bracy, 1995.  All rights reserved.