Solemnity of the Most Holy Body
and Blood of Christ
(Corpus Christi)
June 3, 2018 Cycle B
by Rev. Jose Maria Cortes, F.S.C.E.

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Sunday Reading Meditations

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

“Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover […]?” (Mt 14:14).

Jesus’ question helps us to understand the mystery of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is God’s action. It is a miracle made by God but also requires our participation. To have the Eucharist, we need Jesus and the congregation. In the celebration of the Eucharist, it is important to understand which part belongs to Jesus and which to us.

In the Eucharist, Jesus is the guest. Who is the center of the Eucharist? Is it the priest? No. Is it the extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist? No. Is it the cantors? No. Is it the readers? No. Is it the altar servers? No. Is it the ushers? No. Is it the congregation? No. The center is only Christ. He is the only guest. We are all trying to receive him as best we can. It is very important that everything should be well prepared: the homily, readings, music, flowers etc. However, we are all serving the guest. Our joy is in the guest who is arriving. The Eucharist is not our show. It is Jesus’ show.

The Eucharist is not primarily a social gathering. Of course, it is also that. However, it is much more, infinitely more. The Eucharist is our encounter with Christ, truly present in the bread and wine consecrated on the altar.

The Eucharist is not something that we make, something that is a result of our action. The Eucharist is something that God makes through us. The Eucharist is an astonishing miracle! We should always be astonished at the magnificent initiative and action of God, who renews his presence every time that we gather to celebrate Mass.

In all the sacristies of the convents of the Missionaries of Charity, there is a quotation from Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “Priest of God, celebrate this Mass as if it were your first Mass, your last Mass, your only Mass.” This is an important reminder to the priest before starting Mass. However, I think it could also be a good reminder for all of us. Every time we come to Mass, we need to be aware of the greatness of what we are celebrating.

“Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover […]?”

Jesus wants to be our guest. Let us pray that he will find a good “guest room” for his supper in each one of us and in our congregation.  Amen.