You are the Body of Christ.

The Body and Blood of Christ

Todays Gospel comes from John Chapter 6. It is the great Eucharistic discourse. It reminds us who are listening what actually is happening when we receive communion at Mass. For what we do is fulfil the command that Jesus himself gave us at the last supper that we take and eat and take and drink. “Do this in memory of me” When we listen to the language of the Gospel we get clues to what actually is happening. Jesus uses the words “I AM” if you remember this comes from the book of Exodus where Moses asks the voice at the burning bush who is speaking to him. “I AM who I AM” it is God himself that we are receiving therefore. It is the miracle of the Mass that on this altar God himself is present. 

Taking all this into account it is something that is quite amazing. It is something that we should take into consideration when we come into the Church or at mass that we are in the presence of God in a very real way. So what we do in the Church how we present ourselves is important. 

So lets revisit what actually we do when we come to receive the Blessed Sacrament. We prepare ourselves. We stand in the line waiting to receive Jesus. I wonder what we are thinking about are we thinking about what we are going to be having for dinner today. I remember once some one coming for Communion and when they had received Jesus said to me must dash potatoes are on. Are we distracted by those around us. Is our mind actually on what we are going to be taking into our very selves. And when we come to the altar and hold our hands out or our tongue we say Amen. It is a amen that means so much more than just So be it. It is a Amen that means yes I believe that this is Jesus that I am receiving. It also means that I say Amen to everything that the Church believes at this moment the Amen is a loaded word. 

Lastly we come to a thanks giving where we thank God for coming once again into our lives it is a time for silent adoration of this most wondrous free gift. 

The mass is the source and Summit of our faith. The Eucharist is central to who we are as Catholic Christians. It sustains us and strengthens us heals us and feeds us with Christ himself. It should never be taken for granted and we should always think about what we are doing and what we are saying.

One other element is that although this feast is about the Eucharistic Body and blood of Christ it makes me think of the whole idea of Church. For who is the body of Christ what makes up its parts is us. We are the body of Christ we are nourished and fed by the Body and Blood so that we can do his work in the world. We are the body of Christ his Church it is not the building. I think what has happened here in St John the Baptist highlights that we are Christ’s body where ever we meet where ever we strive ti meet others in need and pain. We come to Mass and receive the Body and blood of Christ so that we can be that source of Christ to others. So that we can be strengthened by the Lord to the Christ to others. For our faith is not private it is living out the Gospel everyday of our lives. It is showing of what we have received both in word and in sacrament to the world in which we live. Nourished and strengthened taken in dignity and love acknowledging that great Amen we say enables us then to be that body of Christ.