We share in the same feast of the Blessed Sacrament of love and life
Reflections on the readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (June 6, 2021): EX 24:3-8; PS 116:12-13,15-16,17-18; HEB 9:11-15; MK 14:12-16,22-26
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
"Then he took the blood and splashed it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.” (Exodus 24:8)
Today is a beautiful and true feast day: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. We celebrate the gift of the Holy Eucharist, that is, the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior in the bread and wine consecrated during the Sacrifice of the Mass. We are able to actually feast on His body and blood, soul and divinity because He gave this incomprehensibly generous gift to the Apostles. Moreover, He ordained them with the authority to share the Eucharist with those who follow Christ as members of the Church. Their priestly successors continue to do this even two thousand years later. Now we are also able to share in the same feast of this Blessed Sacrament of love and life.
We are reminded in the first reading today of God’s promise to His people and how Moses sprinkled the blood of sacrificed animals on them, saying “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord had made with you” (Exodus 24:8). But we also know that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we have a new and eternal covenant. “When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be…He entered once for all into the sanctuary…with His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.… How much more will the blood of Christ…cleanse our consciences.… For this reason He is mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 9:11, 12, 14-15). On this day we recognize our Lord as the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of all people. The compassion of God for us is so profound that He did not spare His Son the suffering and death that would open the way to everlasting life for us. In gratitude, we can follow the path of Christ and we can receive Him into ourselves. Our Redeemer and King, our Lord and God wants to live within us. Let us welcome Him today and every day we possibly can.
Suggested missionary action: We can make an effort to receive the Holy Eucharist regularly. We can commit ourselves to attend Mass at least one extra day of the week. And we can spend some quiet time in prayer before the Tabernacle.
