The Body and Blood of Christ has transformed us.
Today, as the Church joyfully commemorates the Solemnity of the Most Holy
Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, we are engaging in a profound
encounter with the living God, a unique opportunity to renew our covenant with
the Lord in the most intimate way possible here on earth. Our responsorial Psalm
“I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” reminds us that
each time we partake in the Eucharist, we are not just participating in a historical
event but also part of a personal and communal act of salvation. In this
sacrament, Christ offers Himself to each one of us individually. It is also a
beautiful expression of our unity, for as we partake of the one loaf, we are united
in the one body of Christ, strengthening our bonds as a faith community.
The Eucharist is a testament to the Incarnation, “the Word became flesh and
made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). At the Last Supper, Jesus did not only
give us a meal to remember Him by; He gave us Himself, “Take it, this is my
body … This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” As we
approach the altar to receive Jesus , we should do so with the utmost reverence
and awe, mindful that we are in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. In
the Eucharistic celebration, heaven intersects with earth, and time aligns with
eternity. In that sacred moment of communion, we are not simply receiving bread
and wine; we are receiving Christ Himself, the same Christ who walked on earth,
healed the sick, preached the Good News, and rose from the dead.
By receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, we are called to become what we
consume. St. Augustine eloquently preached to his congregation: “If you,
therefore, are Christ’s body and members, it is your own mystery that is
placed on the Lord’s table! It is your own mystery that you are receiving!” The
Eucharist challenges us to embody the love, sacrifice, and unity it represents.
This solemnity also impels us to consider the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist.
Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross is present to us at every Mass.Fr. Dominic Toan Tran, Pastor.
Dear brothers and sisters, as we come to the Lord’s table, let us do so with
hearts full of love and minds focused on the profound mystery we are about to
receive. We need to honor Him with our lips and our lives, making every act a
reflection of the One in this great sacrament of love. Remember that we are not
the same as when we first approached the table of the Lord. The Body and Blood
of Christ has transformed us. This transformation is to be lived out in the world.
May our lives resonate with the words of the Psalmist, and may we truly “take the
cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord” in all that we say and do.