THE HOLY EUCHARIST: CHRIST AMONG US

REFLECTION FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST- C

THEME: THE HOLY  EUCHARIST: CHRIST AMONG US

R1: Gen 14:18-20

R2: 1 Cor. 11:23-26

Gospel: Luke 9:11-17

Dear friends, today we celebrate the centre of our Christian worship; the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. This is a celebration of the saving passion of Christ through which we are sure of Christ’s continuous presence among us. Christ feeds us with His Body and Blood, encouraging us to do it in remembrance of Him. Our partaking of this wonderful meal assures us of salvation. The readings of today leave us with the following lessons about the Eucharist: 

1. The Eucharist is a Gift:

 Melchizedek, in our First Reading, was the king and priest of Salem during the time of Abraham. He presented the gifts of bread and wine to Abraham who was hungry as he returned from fighting the kings who had taken his nephew Lot, into captive. He blessed him afterwards. 

In our time, as Christians we no longer have Melchizedek but we have Christ who is present among us in the Eucharist, as both our king and the priest of the New Testament. He offers us His Body and Blood as food to quench our hunger, after being tired of a life without Him. He commands us to this in memory of him. 

“Do this in memory of Me”, implies that (a) we celebrate this mystery of His divine presence again and again. (b) We learn from the act of Christ’s generosity who freely GIVES us His Body and Blood as spiritual nourishment. Therefore, we should be pushed to share what we have received with the less privileged among us. Just as Melchizedek freely shared the bread with Abraham, we must generously share what we have with others.

2. The Eucharist is a Communion:*

 In Corinth, the church use to have a meal together before the celebration of the Eucharist. For participating in this meal, a separation was made between the rich and poor. The rich used to sit together while the poor were given a different place. St Paul in the Second Reading, clarifies that the institution of the Eucharist by Christ bridges this awkward behaviour of separation and brings together all peoples, for Christ who is broken in the Eucharistic bread is present as a life giver to all who participate in the banquette without any distinction. From the altar, we all eat the same bread and drink from the same cup, not different bread and not from different cup.  Hence, the Eucharist binds us together and while still on earth we unite even with those in heaven and expected to live like saints *_(N’oriri di aso, eligwe n’ala n’emekorita...)._*

In the Eucharist we celebrate Christ who is present among us, and when we eat this bread we become one with Christ. The implication is that whenever we receive the Eucharist we have accepted a responsibility to love as Christ loved and we should bring Christ to those who lack Him. Just as in the time of Abraham, those who ate the bread and wine of Melchizedek were pagan people of Salem, Children of Abraham and the Jews; these ate together without separation, the Eucharist does more by gathering us from different cultures at the table of God. As Eucharistic people, our participation abhors segregation and condemnation, therefore, communion without hatred, and with love.

3. The Eucharist initiates a Miracle:

 The Israelites, according to the Gospel Reading, followed Jesus to the desert so that they will listen to his teaching. There in the desert they were hungry and Jesus fed them.  Before the feeding by Jesus, He told his disciple, “Give them something to eat” (Lk 9:13).

We (Christians) like the Jews have left the land of slavery towards freedom. Through our baptism we have left worldly pleasures towards Jesus for salvation. As Christians, the centre of our gathering is no longer the desert but the Church where Christ feeds us with His Body and Blood as Spiritual nourishment for the journey towards freedom.

As we gather, there are those who need urgent attention in our midst, these represent the multitude that was hungry. Jesus is saying to us today, GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT. This is a call to take care of every member of our community who needs urgent physical attention. If we can generously provide from the little we have then we shall experience the great miracle of multiplication where everyone will have enough for their need and not their greed. The greatest miracle will be that all those who have followed Jesus to the desert (Church) will at last have an eternal satisfaction in heaven. But before then, let us take care of one another.

*Rev Fr Chukwuemeka VINCENT Livinus, SMMM.*