Readings for June 1-2, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
By Fr. Edward Looney | For On Mission
The solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ offers us an opportune time to reflect on the gift of the holy Eucharist. This gift is offered to us at every Mass. The Eucharist itself should be the motivating reason why we come to Mass every Sunday.
A worthy question for reflection might be: “Why do I make Sunday Mass a priority?”
There are many answers one could give. Some people go to Mass Sunday after Sunday because it is obligatory. Today in our first reading, the people told Moses, “We will do everything that the Lord has told us.” One of the things the Lord wanted was keeping the sabbath holy. A person goes to Mass because it is what is expected, and they must go lest they fear incurring a mortal sin. God can work one’s fulfillment of an obligation.
God can break down walls in a person’s heart and move them to the second reason a person goes to Mass, namely out of love for God. A person goes to Mass because they love God and wish to worship and adore him. They want to receive the Holy Eucharist and be united with Jesus.
The Gospel this weekend recounts what happened on the night before Jesus died. He took bread, blessed, broke and gave it to his disciples and, in a similar manner, a chalice. What Jesus did so long ago, we continue to do in remembrance of him.
When we come to Mass, do we have faith in what we believe happens?
The priest consecrates bread and wine. We believe it is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. Do you believe this? When you approach to receive Holy Communion and say, “Amen,” do you believe it is him whom you are receiving and welcoming into your body, heart and soul?
During this time of eucharistic revival in the United States, the Lord is inviting us to a deeper appreciation of this gift that has come down from heaven for us.
He wants us to approach him with love and reverence and not out of obligation. He wants us to receive him with deep faith and confidence that he is with us in the Blessed Sacrament.
The people of our first reading made a commitment to the Lord to do all that he had asked of them. At every Holy Communion, we can do something very similar, committing ourselves again and again to doing God’s will every day.
Fr. Looney is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawano, and priest celebrant of St. Martin Parish, Cecil. He hosts the podcast “Hey Everybody, It’s Fr. Edward.”
The readings for Sunday, June 2, can be found at The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ | USCCB.