WORDS OF LIFE 2nd June 2013 FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI
by: Rev. Fr. Francis Fernandes, SVD
It is very nice, solemn and a very meaningful celebration we generally have in our parishes of the feast of Corpus Christi, or the feast of the most precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. When I was a small child I used to attend the solemn Eucharistic procession on the occasion of this great feast in a parish (moodbidri) dedicate to the Corpus Christi. Those days I did not understand much the great significance of Corpus Christi. But the sermon that was preached by the parish priest created in me a deep interest and longing for the communion. Hence, since then I never missed any of my Sunday masses and later, I feel, that had inspired me a lot to become a priest and distribution the communion (body of Christ) to the faithful. In my priesthood I never missed an opportunity to attend to any dying person and had a great joy to take them communion. A number of patients, elderly persons by their great longing for the communion have inspired me a lot to love the Eucharist more and long to celebrate the mass meaningfully with the people.
Eucharist is the greatest gift of Jesus Christ for our Christian life. Jesus who claimed to be our good shepherd, leading his flock to the green pastures and clean running streams gave his disciples in the last supper the greatest of all festive meals. He gave himself to them in the form of that bread and wine and on the Calvary, upon the cross gave himself up to the entire humanity. In fact, through our faith we live on him, who is our God and provider of everything. He became our food, our nourishment, our health and happiness. It is very difficult humanly to understand this great truth and the mystery of his love. He emptied himself totally and filled us, and renewed our lives in him.
The feast of Corpus Christi, invites us to look into our lives, our attitude, and the importance we give to prepare ourselves either to celebrate a mass or participate in it. Jesus longed to eat that Passover meal with his apostles He himself expressed it saying, ' I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer," (Lk 22:15). Hence, We need to prepare ourselves with a heart that longs and yearns for him. Secondly, we need to be reconciled within ourselves and not to create any groups neither consider one to be high and the other low. In his eyes we all are equals, only if there is love, brotherhood, fellowship, forgiveness we become worthy to receive him and commune with him, if not we bring dishonour to the Lord’s supper (1 cor 11:27-29). Also he had asked us to be reconciled with our brother or sister who are against us, forgive and seek forgiveness. only then the Lord will accept our offering (MT 5:25-24) By receiving him in us we become his living temple, dwelling place. Hence we need to keep ourselves constantly clean and pure from within and without. This implies that we live an upright life and constantly seek his mercy and forgiveness through the genuine repentance of our sins. St Paul asks,"…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you…"(1cor 6:19). Jesus himself said that we ought to obey his commandment of love. Then He and the father will come and make their home in us" ( Jn 14:23).
In today's Gospel ( Lk 9:11-17) Jesus feeds the multitude by multiplying the bread and fish as God the Father provided manna from heaven to the Israelites, his beloved children and the chosen race. When we are fed by him, we are called to live like him, live for him and do all those great gestures of love that he manifested on the table of the Last Supper and on the cross as he said," "do this in memory of me"(Lk 22:19).
Prayer: Jesus our living bread strengthen us more , to love you and serve you better in every brother and sister, Amen!
