SUNDAY JUNE 2, 2024
NINETH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
Exodus 24:3-8
Hebrew 9:11-15
Mark 14:12-16,22-27
THE EUCHARIST: OUR SACRIFICE, SACRAMENT AND FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY TO ETERNITY
In the Eucharistic mystery, Jesus left us the pledge of salvation, food for the journey and everlasting memorial of his salvation. We reenact this salvific mystery in our daily liturgical celebration of the Mass. We receive the body and blood of Christ given for our salvation and we are enriched by this reception.
This is one of the greatest gift of our Lord Jesus Christ to humanity. Jesus gave us his body and his blood. As we read in the gospel of today, this sacrifice sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ, replaces the former covenant of God with the Jews. This mystery replaces the Passover mysteries of the Jews and ushers in a new covenant between man with God accomplished in the blood of Jesus.
Put differently, and as the Church describes this most sacred mystery, we read: “At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'”
So the Eucharist is basically for us, first, a gift of the Father in the Holy Spirit. As Gifts to humanity, it is priced greatly, it is a worthy gift of the Father purposed for our salvation.
The content of this gift is Christ’s body and blood. Here we see him present, submitting to us his life, himself as our sacrifice and food for our journey. He exchanged his life with us. He took away our sinful, rotten and adulterated life and replaced it with his holy, pure and sinless life to draw us into intimacy into the life and into the family of the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Eucharist is therefore a covenant made with us. A covenant that reunite us with God. That his presence will never depart from us again. That the God of our salvation will never forsake us in life again. And that by this covenant, we may never depart from him also. The blood of Christ seals this covenant.
The Eucharist is our food for the journey. It is the body and blood of Christ. It is a sacred meal. As the Passover was a meal eaten and consumed for the journey so our Eucharist is also a sacred meal. It is Christ’s body and blood given for our nourishment. Though, this food is under the appearance of bread and wine. Yet it is substantially the body and blood of Christ, with his divinity, soul and likeness of his nature as God and man.
As food, it empower us, nourishes us, purifies us, and keeps us in the right spiritual disposition for the praise and honour of our God and for our salvation. It is the pledge of our future glory.
We must acknowledge, cherish and receive this food, remembering that as a sacred meal, it is intended for our nourishment. And as our sacrifice, it takes away our sins and as sacrament, it gives us grace to withstand the storms of the journey of life. And as our pledge of salvation, it points to us our salvation and keeps us in union of love, affection and everlasting peace and happiness with the Trinity, With the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Heavenly Father, we acknowledge and cherish this most precious eternal gift of Christ Body and Blood, a memorial of our redemption. Help us to always be ready, willing and prepared to receive this pledge of our salvation. As we receive him, may we be renewed in our daily covenant of total selfgiving; and be entirely enriched body, soul and divinity by the grace of this sacrament and sacrifice through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
