Joke: Mother-in-law and wife are often caused tension in the family of a newly married couple. A funeral director called the wife for further instructions about her mother-in-law’s body. “Do you want her embalmed, cremated, or buried?” “All the three!” the wife answered promptly. “I don’t want to take any chances.”
Has Christ embalmed, cremated, or buried? Christ was buried in the tomb for sure according to the Bible. So, if he died and was buried, how could he give us his Body and Blood that the Church celebrates as The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ today?
To answer this question, let’s dive into today’s second reading, written in the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthian community saying, “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 ." It is the same with the cup to proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. The bread that he identified himself as his body for his disciples at the table and commanded them to do in remembering him. This confirms that it is not the bread anymore, but it is his body given to his disciples. Consuming a little water mingled with wine to proclaim his death. His last supper with his disciples constituted the Most Holy Eucharist.
Why do Catholics have Mass, not only on weekends but every day? When are we going to stop celebrating Mass? We celebrate Mass every day because Jesus commanded us to do it in remembrance of him. As he commanded us, we never stop celebrating Mass until he comes again. What if Jesus did not die, we would not have Mass. Had Jesus ever eaten with his disciples before his last supper with them? Many times perhaps, but his last meal with his disciples what constituted Most Holy Eucharist. If there was no passion and death, there would be no last supper.
If there’s no last supper, there would be no Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. How would Jesus give us his Body and Blood? They are a piece of bread and a sip of grape wine, how can they become the Body and Blood of Christ? What makes these two species become his Body and Blood? In the Eucharistic Prayer III, the priest extends his hands over the bread and wine and says, “Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you: By the same Spirit graciously make holy these gifts we have brought to you for consecration, that they may become the Body and + Blood of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.” This bread and wine immediately become the Body and Blood of Christ. Then, en persona Christi , in the Person of Christ, the priest takes bread and repeats the words of Jesus saying, “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body , which will be given up for you ” and so with the cup. The words, “For you,” we are Catholics in union with the Pope and not for other faith. Therefore, for other denominations, when they come for Mass, at the Communion, we would ask them to cross their hands when they come up for Communion. Instead of receiving Communion, they will receive a blessing.
Why do we need to receive the Body and Blood of Christ? To answer this, in today’s Gospel, Saint Luke describes clearly the scene in which Jesus fed people with only two fish and five loaves of bread in a deserted place. Jesus took the bread and the fish, said the blessing over them, broke them and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. In Eucharistic Prayer III, “He himself took bread and giving you thanks , broke it, and gave it to his disciples.” Each time we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we are reminded that his Body is the Bread of life and his Blood is the Chalice of salvation for us. Therefore, to have life and salvation, we are invited to receive the Body and the Blood of Christ. Jesus did not only die for salvation but also to become Food and Drink for everlasting life. What have we done to deserve it? Should we come more often to receive him in this walk of life? What are you looking for after this earthly life? The decision is yours.
Happy Father's Day to All Fathers
