On this feast of Corpus Christi (the Body and Blood of Christ), we are all too aware of the limitations of the physical presence we are able to share with one another. Of course, this is exactly what Jesus wanted to accomplish by becoming one of us, and what He wanted to leave for us in the Eucharist. The longing that many of you have for His presence is not lost on the Clergy.
To receive His Body and Blood was the first way we began to understand our role as Christians in God’s life. It was a new way for the first generation of Christians, and came to be understood by the many generations that have followed as the most pivotal moment in our lives. This reception of God is a moment when the fullness of our faith is realized, and most fully expressed.
For us to realize the gift of God’s presence in lives through this Holy Exchange is one thing, but for us to express it back in thanksgiving is another. This is what we mean when we say that the Mass is both the source and summit of our faith. It is the source of our understanding and realization of God’s love for us, complete and unrelenting. It is the summit of our expression that we wish for this to be so, and give of ourselves and our gifts to partake in the feast. But this has been taken away through no fault of our own.
The longing for this Communion with Our Lord is truly noble, we should never desire to lose that hunger. But for some of us, this hunger to receive Communion had waned over time. Maybe it was something we took for granted, it had become routine. Maybe it was something we hadn’t really considered in an adult manner, with a mature understanding. For whatever the reason might have been, my prayers are with all of you this week, just as much as for those who are begging to come back for Mass. May we all take this opportunity to reflect more deeply on what Christ’s Body and Blood have meant to us, and look forward to the days when we will receive Him once more. May we all receive Him then with fuller hearts.
St. Anthony Catholic Church 