SOLEMNITY OF THE CORPUS CHRISTI

 

Readings: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16

                1Corinthians 10:16-17

                John 6:51-58

 

 

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.”

 

 

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the solemnity of the Corpus Christi. On the one hand, this feast is in honor of one great catholic dogma, the dogma which teaches the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. But on the other hand, this is also a feast of an event of our salvation since we Catholics believe that the dogma on the divine presence is a matter of divine plan and institution. That is why although the actual institution of the sacrament happens on the night he was betrayed, the preparation of this big event traces back at the time of Christ's public ministry.

 

1. For us Catholics, there is no other religious expression that can surpass nor even equal the greatness of the Holy Eucharist. But the divine presence is no easy a doctrine. Although our belief has been consistent since the time of the early church, modern skepticism and even cynicism have crept into the hearts not only of non-Catholics but also of a good number Catholics. Is Christ really present in that small host we receive at communion?

 

Jesus himself acknowledges the sublimity of the real presence. He must be aware, too, of the difficulty that confronts human understanding as regards his flesh becoming real food and his blood becoming real drink. Thus, Jesus seems to spend a lengthy discussion on this matter which the gospel of John records down for us to read and learn. Sad to say, even during his lifetime, Jesus experiences a strong skepticism, denial, rejection and opposition to this noble truth: "How can this man give his flesh to eat? (v. 52)… This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it? (v. 60)… After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him" (v. 66).

 

Indeed, countless people had to part ways with the Master. But if there were those who left him, there were also those who remained at his side and continued to listen and believe in him. Among the loyal ones were the apostles. With them and the other faithful ones has been kept the tradition of the breaking of the bread.

 

If we compare that experience with the experience we have today, they seem to run parallel. There are those who continue to be skeptical and thus reject the real presence, while there are those who want to be faithful to the tradition of the apostles. We Catholics identify ourselves with the apostles. Thus, we believe in the real presence and experience our communion with the Lord at the breaking of the bread.

 

 

2. That Christ is really present in the Eucharist is a matter of faith. Faith is and must be the starting point in dealing with this truth, and the same faith must be the strongest foundation of accepting this mystery. Our catholic faith in the real presence is founded, among others, on two things: one, on the Words of Christ; two, on the Person of Christ.

 

a. We have no greater basis on this belief but the revelation of Christ himself: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Our catholic interpretation of this and similar texts is literal and not merely symbolic. We take the meaning of these words to their very letter.

 

The biblical significance of bread takes its roots in the Old Testament exodus event when the manna that came down from heaven became the salvation of the hungry Jews in the desert. Now, Jesus takes this signification. But as he applies it to himself, he goes a step further. He calls himself the Living Bread, the Bread of Life. And he means it literally and not only symbolically. After all, had he meant it only symbolically, there was no reason for the Jews to leave him and stop going with him. The fact that they drifted away shows that they could not withstand the words he spoke and the truth he revealed. To them, it was so blasphemous. But despite their stiff denial and strong opposition, Jesus would in no way retract from what he said. Instead, he would insist; "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.”

 

b. Christ cannot lie. He is the God who can neither deceive nor be deceived. The words of Christ must, therefore, be true. His words bespeak of his Person and his Person bespeaks of every word he utters. And we must note that he is so consistent about this. In fact, he even seals it at the last supper with his apostles; indeed with these men who stay at his side to share the One Bread and the One Cup.

 

On that Holy Thursday, never does he hint that what he says about himself as the Bread of Life is false nor is only symbolic. Rather, he enforces it once more when he takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it and gives it saying: “This is my body, which is for you, do this as a memorial of me” (1Cor 11:24). The same thing happens over the cup: "This cup the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me” (v. 25).

 

“Do this as a memorial of me.” - - - Christ could have not instructed it as a matter of divine mandate had these things been false or had these things meant so light. But since the bread and wine means life and salvation to those who partake of it, he deigns it to be his new and perpetual covenant. By this, he institutes the sacrament of his body and blood.

 

We must remember that while the institution took place at the last supper, the upper room was not its final scene. The final count down was at Calvary. Christ sealed his new and everlasting covenant by his precious blood on the cross, indeed, by the last drop of his blood. So, not only by words that Christ made sense. It was the totality of his Person which did. When he said it, he meant it, when he meant it, he did it, and when he did it, he died for it! So, if by the immensity of his love he was able to perfect the mystery of the cross, there is no reason why with this same love he could not be present in the host.

 

3. But again, we must go back to the basic proposition that Christ's real presence in the Eucharist is a matter of faith. No amount of human understanding and explanation can exhaust the profundity of this mystery, and thus can only be accepted truthfully by one who has strong faith in it. For indeed, to him who believes, no explanation is needed; but to him who does not, no explanation is ever possible.