“We must (I say) see, that we firmly believe that this Blessed Sacrament is not a bare sign, or a figure, or a token of that Holy Body of Christ: but that It is in perpetual remembrance of His bitter Passion, that He suffered for us, the self-same precious Body of Christ that suffered it, by His own Almighty power and unspeakable goodness consecrated and given unto us.” ~ St. Thomas More
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. As we do so, it is incumbent upon us to examine just what that wonderful gift is all about as well as how we accept it in our own lives.
St. Thomas More wrote about the great gift of the Eucharist, reminding us that the Eucharist is not a symbol, not a representation, but rather is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, the same Christ that gave His Body and Blood to us the night before He suffered for us and was condemned to death.
If the Eucharist is so important, so elemental, to us, we need to cultivate a greater respect and hunger for it. Respect in that we need to spend time in adoration and devotion, visiting the Eucharistic Lord when the Eucharist is exposed on the altar or when it resides in the tabernacle. Hunger in that it is the Bread of Life and the food for the soul.
There is no way that a person can refrain from food and water for an extended period of time. That person would soon die. So it is with the soul. Keeping ourselves away from the very sustenance that nourishes us and keeps us alive, our souls can become in jeopardy of perishing. It is that real and urgent of a problem.
Today, beside being the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is also the feast day of our parish patron: St. Thomas More. His love for the Lord was so deep that he would not think of straying from the great gifts that God had in store for him. His love for the Lord was so consuming that he willingly gave himself to death rather than bow to the whim of the king who sought to separate himself from Rome.
As we consume the precious Body and Blood of Christ, the Source and Summit of our life, let us ask God to give us the courage of the martyrs that we may always serve Him.
On this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, let us pray for a deeper appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist and nourish ourselves with it often.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for those who exempt themselves from regular worship and reception of Communion.