Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Deacon's Bench

Home
Catholic
Religion News
This is the Body of Christ: Homily for June 18, 2017, Corpus Christi (Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)

This is the Body of Christ: Homily for June 18, 2017, Corpus Christi (Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)

Last updated on: June 17, 2017 at 3:41 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

This is the Body of Christ: Homily for June 18, 2017, Corpus Christi (Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) 2017-06-17T15:41:47-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This Sunday, we mark the feast of Corpus Christi, or as it is known in English, “The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.” It celebrates the central meaning and reality of the Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament.

It’s worth asking ourselves: How will we observe it this year? How will we receive the Eucharist? Will we do anything different?

Most of us will do as we always do: wait for the usher to stop by the pew, then at the appointed time, shuffle up to take the host in hand from the priest or deacon or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Some people will grab it. A priest I know refers to these as “the Body Snatchers.” Some people will put out one hand like they’re waiting for someone to give them their car keys. Others will quickly get it over with and then head out the door to be the first out of the parking lot.

I see it week after week. We take it for granted, this moment in the Mass.

We shouldn’t. We can’t.

What are we receiving? Today, of all days, stop and look.

And then, listen.

Listen, really listen, to the words spoken to us before we receive communion:

The Body of Christ.

And let that sink in.

This is the Body of Christ.

Consider what you will hold in your hand. Feel the weight of it. The host, that small sliver of bread, is almost weightless, like a scrap of paper.

But it isn’t. Not really.

This is the Body of Christ. It carries the weight of the world.

We hold in our hands the one who walked on water.

We cradle the one who calmed the storm.

Here is Son of God.

Here is the one who gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead, and fed the hungry.

This day, he feeds all of us who are hungry once again.

He gave himself to us on the cross. And he gives us himself again in the Eucharist, as the supreme gift to a suffering and hungry world.

This is the Body of Christ.

It is overwhelming to contemplate. We are not worthy—which is why we pray, at every Mass, “I am not worthy…speak but the word and my soul will be healed.”

Christ’s great mission to a broken world was to help heal its wounds, by becoming like us, and taking on wounded flesh himself. It is good to remember that the very word “host” is derived from the Latin, hostia, which means “victim.”

Incredibly, we take into ourselves, in that object no bigger than a coin, the saving victim—but one who is not only a victim, but a victor. This is the one who conquered death.

Look at what you hold in your hand. Look at The One you hold in your hand.

This is the Body of Christ.

The body that was broken and bruised for us, that was beaten and that bled for us, that was stripped for us.

This is the one who wept for us.

And who died for us.

And who rose for us.

The psalm tells us: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” Taste that small piece of bread and we taste compassion, and mercy, and tenderness, and love.

This is the goodness of the Lord.

This is the Body of Christ.

This afternoon, we will proclaim that to the world in a procession around the neighborhood. We will sing hymns of praise and show those around us what we believe, what we cherish, what we venerate, this “gift of finest wheat” that satisfies our hungry hearts.

This is the Body of Christ.

It’s true that we mark this feast just once a year. But we actually celebrate this gift every time we go to Mass. Every time we receive the Eucharist, we celebrate Corpus Christi, becoming living tabernacles, human monstrances, carrying Christ into the world in our own individual Eucharistic processions. Every day, we are called to bear witness to that—and to do what the deacon or priest announces at the end of Mass, “glorifying the Lord with our lives.”

Do we understand that?

Look around you. We are tabernacles of our Lord, living vessels of our savior, witnesses to his life and love.

How do we show that to the world?

How do we reflect what we receive?

This Sunday, let us stop and look and listen. Consider more deeply what happens when you approach for communion. Behold a miracle and mystery, and the greatest ongoing gift.

It’s not just a wafer. It’s not just a slice of bread.

This is our hope. This is our salvation. This is the one who gave his all for all of us.

This is the Body of Christ.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 16, 2017

Muslims rename mosque in honor of Mary, Mother of Jesus

Next Post

June 17, 2017 Ordination update: 12 new deacons for New York

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV uncategorized Uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What Christian group refers to their leaders as "General Superintendents"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Nazarene Methodist Orthodox Catholic

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »