Today on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ we celebrate Christ’s sacramental presence among us through the Eucharist. Every week, every day, if we so choose, we can participate in the Eucharist and receive the Body and Blood of the Lord. Just a few weeks ago our second graders made their first Holy Communion. It is always special to watch the little ones receive our Blessed Lord for the first time. Sometimes we adults do not appear to realize the importance of the Eucharist and Holy Communion in our lives. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt.
Jesus has given us the gift of his Body and Blood in all its fullness. Our parents and grandparents had so great an awareness of the dignity of this sacrament that they would not receive it unless they had gone to confession the day before. Each and every venial sin should not keep us away from the sacrament, but serious sin requires reconciliation before the sacrament can be received worthily. Can we go for months and years at a time without serious sin? Perhaps, but more frequent reception of reconciliation insures the proper disposition to receive Holy Communion worthily.
In the Eucharistic prayer, which the priest offers in our name, we join Christ in giving thanks and praise to the Father for all that he has done for us. We invoke the Holy Spirit to change the gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord. As we offer this sacrifice of praise with Christ, we witness the same sacrifice that Jesus offered to the Father on Calvary. This time we are present. This time Jesus offers his sacrifice through our human nature.
God's generosity is never outdone. Our gifts of bread and wine, and our own human natures are accepted and then this great gift is given back to us. Body and Blood, soul and divinity we receive our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. At the sign of peace, we are reminded that we must be at peace with one another before we enter into communion with Christ and all those who belong to him.
Communion time is most sacred. It is no time to be worried about how fast I can get out of church or how crowded the parking lot will be. This moment is the closest we can come to God's kingdom here on earth. It should be savored along with the same people with whom we will share it in eternity.
Our celebration ends with a blessing and a charge from the priest or deacon, to “go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Once the Mass is over we are to go out and bring Christ to others. This is the part we so often forget. God has given us the Body and Blood of Christ so that we can bring Christ to the world. Eucharist is the beginning of our transforming work for another week.