Solemnity of the Corpus Christi (B – White)
ANTIPHON (cf. Psalm 81 (80):17)
He fed them with the finest wheat and satisfied them with honey from the rock.
INTRODUCTION:
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life. In this sacrament, Jesus gives his body and blood to be our food unto eternal life. With this living bread, we experience Jesus’ salvation and God’s peace, receive power to give ourselves in loving service. and gain strength for our spiritual journey. When we gather in Jesus‘ name at the Eucharist, we proclaim that we are truly God’s people.
FIRST READING (Exodus 24:3-8)
RATIONALE: When God first made a covenant with the Israelites at Sinai, the covenant was ratified with the blood of animals to show that God meant to share in the life and destiny of the chosen people.
WHEN MOSES came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the LORD has told us.” Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: (Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18; Response: 13)
R – I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
1. How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD. (R)
2. Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds. (R)
3. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people. (R)
SECOND READING (Hebrews 9:11-15)
RATIONALE: The New Covenant, mediated and ratified by Christ through the pouring of his own blood on the cross, is most pleasing to the Father and effective in cleansing sin.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS: When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
LAUDA SION (LONGER FORM)
Laud, O Zion, your salvation,
Laud with hymns of exultation,
Christ, your king and shepherd true:
Bring him all the praise you know,
He is more than you bestow.
Never can you reach his due.
Special theme for glad thanksgiving
Is the quick’ning and the living
Bread today before you set:
From his hands of old partaken,
As we know, by faith unshaken,
Where the Twelve at supper met.
Full and clear ring out your chanting,
Joy nor sweetest grace be wanting,
From your heart let praises burst:
For today the feast is holden,
When the institution olden
Of that supper was rehearsed.
Here the new law’s new oblation,
By the new king’s revelation,
Ends the form of ancient rite:
Now the new the old effaces,
Truth away the shadow chases,
Light dispels the gloom of night.
What he did at supper seated,
Christ ordained to be repeated,
His memorial ne’er to cease:
And his rule for guidance taking,
Bread and wine we hallow, making
Thus our sacrifice of peace.
This the truth each Christian learns,
Bread into his flesh he turns,
To his precious blood the wine:
Sight has fail’d, nor thought conceives,
But a dauntless faith believes,
Resting on a pow’r divine.
Here beneath these signs are hidden
Priceless things to sense forbidden;
Signs, not things are all we see:
Blood is poured and flesh is broken,
Yet in either wondrous token
Christ entire we know to be.
Whoso of this food partakes,
Does not rend the Lord nor breaks;
Christ is whole to all that taste:
Thousands are, as one, receivers,
One, as thousands of believers,
Eats of him who cannot waste.
Bad and good the feast are sharing,
Of what divers dooms preparing,
Endless death, or endless life.
Life to these, to those damnation,
See how like participation
Is with unlike issues rife.
When the sacrament is broken,
Doubt not, but believe ‘tis spoken,
That each sever’d outward token
doth the very whole contain.
Nought the precious gift divides,
Breaking but the sign betides
Jesus still the same abides,
still unbroken does remain.
ALLELUIA (John 6:51)
R – Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever.
R – Alleluia, alleluia
GOSPEL (Mark 16:15-20)
ON THE FIRST DAY of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found itjust as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
REFLECTIONS:
Long before the coming of the Catholic Christian faith, our pre-colonial ancestors already believed in the life after death. The manunggol jar that was unearthed in the early 1960s in Lipuun Point, Palawan, is a piece of evidence to this claim. This belief is supported by our salita from the different ethnolinguistic groups in our archipelago such as Kaladua, hadadua, kararuwa, kiyarulwa, kag, kalag, and kaluluwa (soul). All of these refer to the concept of life after death. Scholars also strongly agree that the meanings of these words have particular nuances from one ethnolinguistic group to another. Nevertheless, this issue brings us to the conclusion that belief in life after death is not foreign to our fore-parents’ worldview and practices.
When the Catholic Christian faith came to our shores, these diverging concepts, particularly on life after death, converged into one. It was deepened, intensified, and became full of hope. Jesus Christ became their point of convergence. He introduced the reality of life after death through his own resurrection story, answering our ancestors’-as well as our own-haka-haka (speculations), takot (fear), and pangamba (doubt) on what life after death may bring.
Our celebration today of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ brings us to attend to this truth, that as a community of believers we will not die. Instead, we will resurrect and live forever with him. This is evident when Jesus says, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:54). Here, Jesus gives us a brighter hope after our death. Because of this great announcement, we are no longer kaluluwas (souls) who simply go to the place of the dead, dwell in some mountains or rivers, or aimlessly paddle and roam around in the afterlife. With Jesus, we have a clear destination, that is, to be with him.
This is one of the many greatest values of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. In the celebration, we do not simply remember Christ in his words and deeds. We also slowly enter into a communion with him, which provides us with the hope of what is to come after our earthly life.
This particular event is a “sacred space and moment” because we are provided, in the “here and now,” with an opportunity to be able to partake in his promise of eternal life, long for his presence, and direct our ways towards his dwelling place. The Eucharist, then, is not simply a ritual, nor is it a social performance. It is, foremost, a sacred event, a gift of space and moment, that brings us to experience the forgiving Jesus in the “here and now” and the saving Jesus in the “not yet” life after death.
Hence, the Eucharistic celebration reminds us of the immense power brought about by the Body and Blood of Christ. With it, salvation is totoo (true). Eternal life becomes makatotohanan (truth). The assurance of his love and mercy in the “here and now” is more makatotoo (truthful). To forego our “very important personal schedules” in lieu of our participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is not a waste of time at all. It is, in fact, more valuable than our other important concerns here on earth, for they are all temporary, while receiving the Body and Blood of Christ directs us to do good and assures us of life everlasting.
—oOo—
PASTORAL CATECHESIS FOR THE YEAR OF THE CLERGY AND THE CONSECRATED PERSONS by Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM
Topic: Commitment to Quality Preaching
Pope Francis has spoken to the clergy in Evangelii Gaudium about the homily and good preaching (nos. 135-159). Francis noted: ”The homily cannot be a form of entertainment… It should be briefand avoid taking on the semblance of a speech or a lecture” (no. 138). “Preparation for preaching is so important a task that a prolonged time of study, prayer, reflection and pastoral creativity should be devoted to it” (no. 145).
The homily “should not be used to correct errors…, it should not be employed to teach doctrine…, let us not use it to talk about the latest news” (no. 147). “What is essential is that the preacher be certain that God loves him, that Jesus Christ has saved him and that his love always has the last word” (no. 151).
Speaking to newly ordained priests, Francis said: ”May your homilies not be boring; may your homilies touch the heart of the people because they come from your heart, because what you are telling them is what you carry in your heart. It is in this way that the Word of God is passed on, and thus your teaching will be a joy and support to Christ‘s faithful.”
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (John 6:57)
Whoever eats my flesh and drink my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
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The Mass Readings are from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (www.usccb.org/bible/readings) and Reflections by Fr. Ross P. Heruela, SVD is taken from the 3rd of June, 2018 edition of Sambuhay Missalette, printed in the Philippines by St. Paul’s Media Pastoral Ministry, and June 1, 2017 edition of Malaya Business Insight (www.malaya.com.ph) The views and opinions in this post are those of the authors and does not necessarily reflect those of the blog site.
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