Corpus Christi Sunday 2022

WORD I Corinthians 11: 23 - 26

Brothers and sisters:

I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,

that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,

took bread, and, after he had given thanks,

broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me."

In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,

"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,

you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

OBSERVE

In a PEW Research survey, released in August 5, 2019, showed that 69% of self-identified Catholics do not believe that the host and wine consecrated during the Mass is the body and blood of Christ.

They claimed that it is only "symbol of body and blood of Christ." This is, of course, wrong. In fact, it is a Protestant teaching rather than Catholic.

For Catholics, the consecrated host and wine is the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus clearly told those who were listening to him that he will give his body and blood as food and drink.

His listeners who were Jews find this absurd. How can Jesus give his body and blood as food and drink? In fact, Jews were forbidden from touching corpse and blood, how can Jesus tell them to eat his body and drink his blood?

Many of his Jewish followers left him because they cannot accept such difficult teachings.

What was the reaction of Jesus?

He did not call them back saying that they misunderstood him. Jesus did not make any efforts to "adapt" his teachings to the "sentiments and discernment" of the people.

Rather, he called his closest associates, the Twelve and taunted them with the question: " Are you also going to leave?" (John 6: 67).

Paul said that " I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you."

What was received by Paul?

It was the teaching about how Jesus gave his body and blood as food and drink.

He taught what he has learned. He did not make any innovations or adaptations to the teachings he has received.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, you gave to your people in the desert, "manna," bread from heaven.

They were filled and nourished physically but they died.

In Jesus, you gave us the real bread that came down from heaven.

The body and blood of Jesus nourishes our souls and give us eternal life.

May it sustain us until Jesus comes back in glory.

May we be constantly faithful to this reality and teach this to the young generations. Amen.

DISCERN

It is important to note that the transmission of the teachings need to be faithful to the WORD not to the World.

There is this trend to "adapt" the teachings of the Lord to the world.

But, if this is the case, then, it would be a case of the making the Word of God be shaped by the world instead of the Word shaping the World.

The PEW Research was conducted in the US, I am curious as to what it is with the Filipinos.

When Masses are celebrated haphazardly, and the lack of catechism about the Eucharist, except during First Communion, it is no wonder that there is the erosion of the faith in the Eucharist.

Just like Jesus when the world refuses to accept his teachings, the more he insisted on it. I think it should be true in our own time.

The solution is not to dilute the teachings of the Church but to insist on it because if teachings are easily diluted and adapted to what the world wants, then why should people believe in it.