The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

Traditionally, the Church celebrates the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ after the Sunday of Trinity.  Why? The Body and Blood of Christ is the centre of the Eucharist which we celebrate daily. As we enter the so-called ordinary time, the Eucharist is the mean that nourishes and strengthens us daily.

The Gospel of Luke tells us about the feeding of the 5,000. However, Luke puts this story in a different context. Luke places it between Herod’s question, “Who is this about whom I hear such things?” and Peter’s response to Jesus’ question about who he thought Jesus was: “You are the Messiah of God.” In Luke the feeding is not the result of Jesus’ compassion for the crowd but is instigated by the disciples. They wanted Jesus to send the crowd away to town. Instead, Jesus tells the disciples to give them some food on their own. Hence, Christ allows to contribute to the feeding as well.

The passage is meant to remind us of two feedings in the Old Testament: the feeding of the Israelites in the desert and Elisha’s feeding of 100 people with 20 loaves in 2 Kings 4:42-44. It is also connected to the institution of the Eucharist. As in the Last Supper accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and in Paul’s account in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, Jesus takes bread, looks up to heaven, blesses the bread, breaks it, and then gives it to the disciples. In using this exact language, Luke is reminding his readers that in this miracle Jesus is doing more than feeding hungry people as God did for the Israelites and the prophet Elisha did as well. The bread he gives is his body, which he will continue to give as often as the community breaks bread in remembrance of him in the Eucharist.

We believe that Jesus is truly present to us in the elements of bread and wine. Each time we celebrate this sacrament, we prepare for and make our contribution to the Kingdom of God. This Eucharistic celebration, as the Second Vatican Council taught us, is the source and summit of the Christian life.

During this week (on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday), many have made their contribution in preparing our 120 children for the sacrament of confirmation. I am thinking of their parents, grandparents and sponsors who through their faith commitment have given good examples of faith to their children. I am thinking of volunteers (Monica, Betty, David, Steve and Michael) who have accompanied the candidates throughout the four weeks of preparation. So, I want to congratulate all who are involved in this celebration, especially to those who have been sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. May you be strengthened by them so that you can give witness to Christ in a challenging world. A special thanks also go to the priests who conferred the sacrament of confirmation on behalf of Bishop Vincent: Rev. Msgr. Ron McFarlane, Chancelor of the Diocese of Parramatta, and Very Rev. Fernando Montano, Vicar General of the Diocese of Parramatta.

In the next two weekend Masses we will conduct our parish counting and survey. The data will help us in our pastoral planning for the future. Important is to note that we will not share the collected information with any third party. We will safeguard the privacy. Thank you for your help in this matter as well.

God bless

Fr Joe