Sunday, June 23, 2019

Corpus Christi 2019


The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/062319.cfm) reminds me how blessed I am with our faith.

As we commemorate the Feast of Corpus Christi, or the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (especially that it is alive in the Holy Eucharist) we are reminded how blessed we are in our faith.

In the second reading, we see how Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist. He said the bread is his body, and the wine is his blood. We are reminded to do it in remembrance of Jesus. We are reminded that as we partake of Him, so should we proclaim him as well.

There is a story of a protestant and a catholic talking. The protestant asked the catholic: "is it true that in your religion, you believe that the Eucharist is the actual body and blood of Christ?" To which the catholic answered yes. Then the protestant said: "wow. If that were the case in our religion, I would do anything to receive him everyday!"

This story struck me. Sometimes we actually do not realize how blessed we are in our belief in the Holy Eucharist. As Catholics, we believe that it is the actual Body and Blood of Christ, not just a representation of it! Even if Jesus is not physically with us anymore, he is till very much alive and real in the presence of the Holy Eucharist. That is what God wants us to have. This is how God makes his presence alive and real in our lives. Isn't that amazing?! Isn’t it enough reason to want to receive him daily?

Everytime we attend mass, we have the opportunity to partake of it. To be one with him. As we consume the Holy Eucharist, it is actually God who consumes us. If we are in the proper disposition as we receive it, God will slowly transform us and consume us. We can slowly be transformed to become more and more like Him. We just need to make the decision to accept him and allow him to transform us.

What is the significance of the Holy Eucharist for me? Do I believe that it is the actual body and blood of Christ? Do I make the most out of it? Am I willing to accept Christ in my life and allow him to take control of my life? How do I prepare myself to receive Him?

May we have a renewed love for the Holy Eucharist, and may we do our part to spiritually prepare ourselves as we receive Him, so it will be easier for him to change us and to consume us.

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for sending your only Son to die for me. Thank you for loving me however unworthy I am. Thank you for a very beautiful gift of the Holy Eucharist. I am sorry for not making the most out of it. Sorry for being contented to receive you only on Sundays. Sorry for not preparing myself to receive you. Awaken me Lord. I pray that I would always remember the importance and power of the Holy Eucharist. May I always do my best and prepare to receive you each time I hear mass. Give me the heart and the desire to always be thirsty for you and make the most out of the Eucharist. As I receive you, I ask that you consume me and transform me to become more like you. Amen.



Blessed Sunday!



In Christ,

-g-






June 23 2019

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Lectionary: 169

Reading 1 GN 14:18-20

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine,
and being a priest of God Most High,
he blessed Abram with these words:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
the creator of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who delivered your foes into your hand."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.


Responsorial Psalm PS 110:1, 2, 3, 4

R.(4b) You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool."
R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies."
R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
"Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you."
R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever, according to the order of  Melchizedek."
R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.


Reading 2 1 COR 11:23-26

Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that 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."
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.


Sequence Lauda Sion

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.

The shorter form of the sequence begins here.

Lo! the angel's food is given
To the pilgrim who has striven;
 see the children's bread from heaven,
 which on dogs may not be spent.

Truth the ancient types fulfilling,
Isaac bound, a victim willing,
 Paschal lamb, its lifeblood spilling,
 manna to the fathers sent.

Very bread, good shepherd, tend us,
Jesu, of your love befriend us,
 You refresh us, you defend us,
 Your eternal goodness send us
In the land of life to see.

You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow,
 Grant us with your saints, though lowest,
 Where the heav'nly feast you show,
Fellow heirs and guests to be. Amen. Alleluia.


Alleluia JN 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 LK 9:11B-17

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God,
and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close,
the Twelve approached him and said,
"Dismiss the crowd
so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms
and find lodging and provisions;
for we are in a deserted place here."
He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves."
They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."
Now the men there numbered about five thousand.
Then he said to his disciples,
"Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets.

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