It seems a bit odd to be celebrating the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ at a time when so many still cannot attend Mass and receive the Eucharist. Yet I think that this time has actually been a blessing for us.
When what we have been used to suddenly changes, it is challenging. It is hard to deal with the sense of loss. But if we can transcend the moment it can become an opportunity. I’m thinking of the many people, faced with new situations over the past few months, who saw new opportunities. Wine-makers producing hand sanitiser. Restaurants and cooking schools producing meals for vulnerable people. Clothing manufacturers making face masks. They didn’t try to do what they had always done. They did something new, practical and useful with what they had.
That’s what we have been doing over these past weeks, too. We have been allowing ourselves to feast on the words of the Gospel, to explore the mystery of God’s action within our hearts and our call to be God’s love in the world.
We are very used to thinking that the Real Presence of Jesus is in the Blessed Sacrament. Maybe we need to think more deeply about the real presence of Jesus also being in real, living human beings. Bread and Wine have no eyes to gaze with love, no face with which to smile, no mouth to speak soothing words, no arms to hold the grieving and the sick, or to lend a hand, no ears to hear the pain. But we do.
The Eucharist is not an object to be looked at, but an action to be done so that the living presence of Jesus continues to touch and heal through us.
So we are called to become the Eucharist that feeds those around us with the nourishment of breadth of heart and vision, respect, love, compassion, hope and forgiveness.
May we become what we receive. (St Augustine)
Join us in celebrating at home this Sunday using the links below.
Celebrating At Home for Body and Blood of Christ PDF
Celebrating At Home for Body and Blood of Christ for iPhone & iPad
Lectio Divina for Body and Blood of Christ PDF
Lectio Divina for Body and Blood of Christ for iPhone & iPad
