Homilies/Reflections
This is my body
By FR JULIUS OLAITAN
THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST (CORPUS CHRISTI) 2018 THIS IS MY BODY... My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, as we celebrate today, the feast of the body and blood of Christ, we should again turn our minds to how much value we place on this great sacrifice wrought for us, once and for all, by Christ and which he has commanded us to do in his memory. How well do we prepare to receive him? How often do we receive him? What obstacles are there on our way to proper reception of the Holy Eucharist? First Reading (Exodus 24: 3-8) In ancient times and even in our world today, people enter into different types of covenants. When they do so they use some visible signs as marks of the covenant and it is always hoped that the covenant is binding on all the parties involved in the oath. In many ancient traditions, the common form of oath, was done with the use of the blood of a victim. An animal is slaughtered and after all the contents of the oath had been read to the hearings of the people, they are sprinkled with the blood. If it has to do with just two people, they sometimes, divide the victim in two halves and the contracting parties pass in between just like it was between Abraham and God in the book of Genesis. The implication of such oath is that the two contracting parties are now bound by blood to fulfil their oath. Moses in our first reading today, should be understood in the same context. At the foot of Mount Sinai, God entered into a covenant with his people. God will protect the people and defend them, the people will have to keep his commandments. Moses informed the people in order to obtain their consent in the covenant to be made. Their response was “we will observe all that the Lord has decreed.†Moses then took the blood of the covenant and sprinkled the people with it. The sprinkling of this blood signifies that God and Israel from that moment are into a blood covenant. At baptism, we enter into a covenant relationship with God. How well have we kept to our promises? Second Reading (Hebrews 9: 11-15) The letter to the Hebrews is one of my favourite letters in the New Testament. The writer in this passage assures us that if the blood of animals were used in the times of old and it was believed that the people received forgiveness for their sins, how much more do we stand to receive with the blood of the Son of God. Christ did not use the blood of any other animal to redeem us or restore our holiness but his own blood. That is what we must also do as his followers. We must sacrifice our own lives to bring about peace and justice in the world. There are so many people in our world today who are ready to sacrifice others to become what they wish. There are so many who exploit the work of others, those who employ casual workers without paying them the required. There are others who get themselves involved in piracy. They make money at the expense of those who had struggled to make their products. There are those who import fake goods, including food and drugs at the expense of the innocent ones who go into the market to buy what they will eat and drink. There are some who are technicians who deliberately use sub-standard materials to do your job just because they want to maximise gains. There are those who exploit others by prostitution and trafficking in persons, just to make money. There are those who fraudulently obtain money from other people. A Christian who is involved in such acts is worse, as his conscience will not give him any chance for peace. Christ is our mediator and only through him can we receive what was promised–eternal life. We cannot gain the world and suffer the loss of our souls. Gospel (Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26) Today’s Gospel is a summary of what happened on the night before the Lord’s passion and death. At that meal, he replaced the Old Covenant meal built on the Passover with a New Covenant meal which he commanded his disciples to do in memory of him. Paul says, “The blessing cup that we bless, is it not a communion with the blood of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not a communion with the body of Christ?â€(1Cor.10:16) And in 1Cor.11:26—“Whenever you eat of this bread and drink of this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord until he comes.†He therefore considers it a sin against the body and blood of the Lord to participate unworthily. We do this because Jesus told us to do so: “Do this in memory of me.â€Â  St. Augustine writing on the Eucharist said: “It is your Mystery, the Mystery of Your Life that has been placed on the altar.â€Â This Holy Memorial is known by various names: 1) "The Eucharist†because Jesus offered himself to God the Father as an act of thanksgiving; 2) "The Lord’s Supperâ€â€”or “Breaking of the Breadâ€â€”because we celebrate it as a meal; 3) "Holy Communion" because, we become one with Christ by receiving him; and 4) "Holy Massâ€Â (a holy sending-forth), because it gives us a mission: “Go in peace glorifying God by your life.†In the Eucharist there is a twofold feeding. In the physical bread we have nourishment for the body but there is more importantly, the spiritual sustenance for the soul. This is why the communion to the dying is referred to as Viaticum — food for the journey. We must not deny ourselves of this wonderful and adorable sacrament which is a daily dosage of the food needed for salvation. The Eucharist is a healing sacrament which restores us to union with God, it is a memorial of salvation and a concrete reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus for our salvation. In this sacred meal, is the key to a life of true union with God. The devil will do anything and everything possible, to prevent the faithful, from a fruitful participation in this sacred meal because this is the food that gives us the strength, to stand up to the devil and remain strong and victorious in the battle of life. The Eucharist is a sacrifice, a presence and a food. As a Sacrifice it makes present Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary for our salvation. As a presence, it is Christ himself under the appearances of bread and wine. As a food, it is the nourishment of our souls by which we share in God’s own life. The benefits of participating in the Eucharist therefore are enormous. First it makes us like Christ. It brings us into union with him. As we eat the Lord we are transformed into him. The Eucharist gives us the strength, nourishment and sustenance for our spiritual journey and especially at the approach of death. Above all, in the Eucharist, our hope of resurrection is strengthened in him who promised, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.â€(Jn 6:57) “The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life.â€(CCC 1324) Let us pray, O Sacrament Most Holy, O sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment thine. Amen. May the Almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!