Corpus Christi

Father Phillip Bloom notes that in the book, "The Mass: Four Encounters with Jesus That Will Change Your Life," the four “presences” of Jesus are described: in the community, the Word, the priest and the Eucharist.

Although each presence of Jesus is vital, this Sunday we focus on the Maxima Presence, the most important one, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

To illustrate how Jesus' presence in the Eucharist differs from the first three presences, let me tell you about a conversation between two priests. The first priest was arguing that - since Vatican II - we now have to emphasize the presence of Jesus in the community. "Jesus," he said, "is not only present in the Eucharist, but in every person."

The second priest said, "Yes, we have to reverence each person, but can I can ask you a couple questions?"

The first priest nodded and the second priest asked, "Would you worship the Eucharist?" The first said, "Yes, of course."

The second priest then asked, "Would you worship me?"

Why do I have to go to Mass? The answer is simple: To worship and to receive Jesus - as Lord and Savior.

St. Augustine said of the Eucharist, "No one eats this flesh unless he first adores it." So, we adore and worship Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. St. Augustine added, AND NOT ONLY DO WE NOT SIN BY ADORING, WE DO SIN BY NOT ADORING."

The objective place of worship; and the focus is on Jesus Christ—there is not a false shift just to the heart of the individual believer. E.g. Jesus says, “THIS is my body….”

“This” is a demonstrative adjective—it points to something.

Regarding the heart of the individual believer: We DO offer ourselves by our union to HIS sacrifice, so our heart should be in it. E.g. at Mass the priest says; “Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice AND YOURS may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father,”

2. I want to mention the fragments that are gathered in verse 13 from our Gospel today. In Greek, the fragments or leftover bread and fish is an expression used in the early Church to refer to the eucharistic species (see, for example, Didache 9.3,4). The fragments are now gathered and available in the twelve baskets.

They do not perish (see John 6:27). It is the same with the Eucharist, the leftover hosts from Holy Communion are placed in the tabernacle. You can go pray in Church when Mass is not going on to speak to the Lord and pray.

And whenever you come to Communion, remember those two little words, “for you.” This is my Body which is given up for you.

Bring your problems to the Lord in the Church before the tabernacle- St. John Vianney said, "I throw myself at the foot of the Tabernacle like a dog at the foot of his Master."

Lastly, consider that the Eucharist challenges us to be holy.

Today is a most appropriate day to remind us all to receive Holy Communion only in the state of grace and if you are married, to have your marriage be recognized in the Catholic Church. For example, Judas received the Eucharist right before he betrayed Jesus. He received it without any repentance beforehand. We know this from the eucharistic hints involved in the verb St. John uses in John 13:18 and in 6:51-58; the originality of the words indicating that Jesus took the morsel before giving it to Judas must be maintained. The Eucharist is a subtheme in verses. Jesus gives the morsel to the most despised character in the gospel narratives. Judas was taken over by Satan after receiving the morsel or eucharistic bread; it was a radical rejection of the love of God revealed in Jesus’ gift of the morsel or eucharistic host (V. 31a).

Fruits of the Eucharist:

God freed you from all your sins and invited you here [to the Eucharist], but you have not become more merciful. St. John Chrysostom, Horn, in 1 Cor. 27:4

Pope Benedict XVI writes, in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, that "a Eucharist which does not pass over into the concrete practice of love is intrinsically fragmented.”

Amen.