Corpus Christi

" And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.  And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."  Mark 22-24

From this last meal that Jesus shared with his disciples to the Eucharistic sacrifice at our Altars today, bread and wine have been declared to be the body and blood of Christ. They like us, gathered round a table and shared a meal. A meal that has been repeated among the faithful for centuries. 

Today is the feast of Corpus Christi (Christ's body), but what is Christ's body and where does it fit into our lives? First and foremost Christ is in the Blessed Sacrament, this is Christ's body. So today we go to Mass, we gather round the table facing East  gazing towards God and break the bread. The body broken for us, is distributed among us. Then having partaken of Christ, we will be given a chance to spend some time with Blessed Sacrament held out in procession. Christ's body showing us the way.

Then having spent this time in Christ's presence, we as a community are broken and distributed among the places from whence we came. We become a symbol of Christ's body in the lives of others. For those who have no faith we are the closest they will get to seeing Christ in their lives. Every thought, word and action we take into their lives, is an example of what we think Christ to be. 

We are one body because we all share in one bread. We are part of a body that has been in existence since the sacrifice of Christ for us. We are part of a body that will continue into the future as every Mass is offered. We are but a heartbeat in the history and the future of Christ's Body. When we go out into the world, this is what should be on our hearts. When we have this in our hearts, hopefully it will make it onto our lips in all we say and all we do.

I would like to leave you with a final quote, from Mahatma Ghandi

"To believe something and not to live it, is dishonest"