FR. JT’s HOMILY: SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
(6/6/21)
This Sunday we celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the food of Angels given to mortal men & women who are his friends. It’s beyond our mere mortal comprehension, and it’s true and real. But what of the incarnation - that God took our flesh? Wow!
On this solemnity, we relaunch the Year of the Eucharist (YoE) in the Archdiocese for another one year, June 6, 2021 to June 2022.
Let us be reminded again why the YoE, and what the aim is.
A recent study has it that 69% of Catholics in America do not believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? And 50% of Catholics in America do not even know or understand the Church’s Teaching concerning the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. I don’t know if you’re among the 69% and/or among the 50%.
Considering the truth that
Eucharist remains our Catholic Identity, this statistic is scary. Why? Because:
- No Eucharist, no Catholicism, in fact no Church
- Only Catholic Church has Eucharist as a sacrament
- Only Catholic Church has Holy Mass and consecration that makes the Eucharist
- Only Catholic Church has the reality of Eucharist and not merely the symbolism of it
- Only Catholic Church has tabernacle with tabernacle light that signifies Real Presence
- Only Catholic Church has Eucharistic Adoration that extends our reverence of Christ present in the Eucharist beyond Holy Mass
If we loose all these, we have lost Catholicism, the authentic Christianity we received from the God-made-man, Jesus Christ. And this will not happen. It has not happened in the more than 2000 years of Catholicism; and it will not happen in our time; and it will not happen in the future until when we eat & drink the Eucharist anew with Jesus in the kingdom of God as he promised (Matt 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18).
The Holy Spirit has still another year to help us realize the objectives of the YoE which are to bolster the faith of those of us who already believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and to encourage those who struggle with this belief.
As you may recall, since last year when the YoE kicked off before it was extended because of the pandemic, we have received the following teachings:
- Institution of the Eucharist;
- Eucharist: From the Upper Room to the Cross;
- Eucharist: Real Presence;
- Eucharist as Sacrifice, Thanksgiving & Family Meal;
- Eucharist & Community Building;
- Eucharist: Token & Expression of Divine Love.
For the next year, we have still the following remaining topics to cover:
- Eucharist in the Sacred Scriptures & Life of Saints;
- Eucharist: Our Catholic Identity;
- Eucharist: Renewal & Transformation;
- Eucharistic Devotions;
- Eucharist & Priesthood;
and more of the activities to be done.
Growing up as an infant, and then as teenager, now as an adult of 60 years, and as a priest for 31 years, nothing in the church gives me as much joy and inner satisfaction as celebrating a Mass, or call it Eucharistic celebration. Am not saying this simply because am a priest; I am saying it because am a christian, a catholic. With you I am a christian, a catholic.
May the Holy Spirit that descends like the dew fall on the substance of bread and wine, and at the very pronouncement of the words of Jesus at consecration they change into the Holy Body and Blood of Christ continue to lead us into the very depths of the Eucharist. Amen!
As I always say, we celebrate in the Catholic Church God’s wisdom and not some human wisdom. And God says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways....As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”(Isaiah 55:8-9). So my dear friend and fellow pilgrim, when you do not seem to understand any of the teachings of the Church, do not just walk away from the Church. Stay and open your heart and mind to the Holy Spirit and She will lead and guide you to the complete truth.
Peace & Bles+sings!
Fr. JT
Pastor