Corpus Christi A

Corpus Christi is the celebration of the enduring presence of a loving God as Emmanuel - God with us - allowing us to come together to thank our Lord for living among us in the Eucharist.  This feast gives us a chance to better understand the value of the “Real Presence” so we can appreciate the Sacrament more deeply and grow from receiving Him. 

Our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is rooted in His own promise, which  He made right after miraculously feeding the five thousand. He later established the Eucharist at the Last Supper and commanded His disciples to keep doing it in His memory. We hold onto this truth because we know that nothing is impossible for God. 

We explain this mystery through a concept called "transubstantiation." This means that during the Consecration, the underlying reality of the bread and wine is changed into the actual reality of the risen Jesus’ glorified Body and Blood through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even though this profound change happens, the outward characteristics - like the color, shape, and taste - stay exactly the same. 

In the First Reading, Moses tells the Israelites to remember and never forget how God miraculously provided for them with manna in the desert. In the same way, the Church uses the  Mass to remember and re-live both, the sacred meal of the Last Supper and Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on Calvary. 

In the Second Reading, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians, and us, that the Bread they share is the true Body of Christ. By sharing this meal, the community itself is transformed into the visible  Body of the risen Christ in the world. 

In the Gospel passage, Jesus calls Himself “the Living Bread that came down from Heaven.” He connects Himself to the manna in the desert but offers an even greater promise: unlike the ancestors who ate the manna and eventually died, anyone who eats this Bread will live forever. 

Jesus created the Eucharist to be both a sacred banquet and a sacrificial offering. As a  Sacrament, it is a visible sign that fills us with God’s grace and life, serving as a spiritual meal that feeds our souls. As a sacrifice, the Eucharistic celebration brings the sacrifice of Calvary into the present moment, fully realized through the Resurrection. Using signs and symbols, we offer this sacrifice to God the Father for the forgiveness of our sins. 

We can truly appreciate the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist by receiving Him with a sincere desire to change, proper preparation, and deep respect. 

When we receive Holy Communion, we carry Christ into the world just as Mary did. This gives us the daily responsibility of bringing Jesus to the people at home and in our workplaces through genuine love, mercy, forgiveness, and selfless service.

We can place our own lives on the altar alongside Jesus’ sacrifice. This is our opportunity to ask  for forgiveness, show gratitude for our blessings, and hand over our daily struggles and prayers to God.