Corpus Christi

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ or in Latin “Corpus Christi” commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist.

 The celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ is at the very centre and heart of our faith, of our church, and of our parish; it is at the centre and heart of our families and the lives of each of us. The Eucharist is at the centre of Catholic spiritual life.

The feast was introduced in the late 13th century by Pope Urban IV in 1264 to encourage the people of God to give special honor to the institution of the Holy Eucharist and to the Blessed Sacrament. Our worship of Jesus in His Body and Blood, calls us to offer God our Father, a pledge of our undivided love and an offering of   ourselves in service of others.

Some find it difficult to believe that bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus and understandably so. Jesus comes to us at every Mass. At every Mass our attention is called to the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ in it. It is a celebration of the love of Jesus for us. We need to add faith to our reason and intellect. As Paul says, in the Christian life, we go by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).

Jesus is really with us in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the gift of God’s love for us. When we submit to God we will not lose anything, we will gain everything. We add faith to our reasoning and receive the love of God with faith. We need to be humble enough to add faith to our intellect by trusting, surrendering, believing and receiving the Holy Eucharist in faith. We express our unworthiness, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed.” When we receive Jesus, Jesus is in us and we are with Jesus. “He who eats my flesh abides in me and I in him.” (John 6: 57).