The Solemnity of Corpus Christi
On this day of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, we celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper. While the Eucharist is celebrated every day; once a year, typically on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the Holy Eucharist with even greater reverence and commemoration on the Feast of Corpus Christi. This is also one of the few feast days that we witness a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, where we as Catholics, proudly proclaim Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist to the greater community.
Mother Teresa beautifully puts it - When we look at the crucifix, we understand how much Jesus loves us back then. When we look at the Blessed Eucharist, we understand how much Jesus loves us now. The Eucharist is truly Jesus’ divine gift to us, that in our limited state and lacking, we can still receive Him every day and be in communion with Him.
Growing up, I’ve always wondered why in a majestic looking monstrance, lies a mysterious white Host that the priest would raise, and people around me bow down in reverence. Thankfully by the grace of God, I have been blessed to encounter Jesus and witness many conversions of fellow brothers and sisters in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in my later years. Feeling Jesus’ immense love and mercy through the Eucharist made me realise how I had been optimising my life for worldly pursuits. Following that enlightenment, I felt a strong compelling call to order my life and pursue Jesus.Now, whenever the priest raises the Host at Mass and says “This is my Body, which will be given up for you”, it never fails to fill me with awe and immense gratitude that we now have Jesus’ presence here in our midst. Jesus loves us so much, He sacrificed Himself even for a sinner like me.
On this Feast, let us not take our easy access to the Eucharist for granted. Let us honour Jesus and rejoice that He desires for us to be in communion with Him and the Church. As we receive Holy Communion, and respond with our Amen; As we behold Christ present in the Eucharist – may we recognise how blessed we are to have a God who holds nothing back for us.