Walking with Jesus: The Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus

For Sunday, June 19, 2022

Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11-13

We celebrate the feast of the Eucharist, Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. How many times have we come to receive the Eucharist? Are we aware of what this mystery is all about? How many times have we been so preoccupied with ourselves and the happenings around us that we wonder whether we really received? How many times have we let the Lord just be with us after we have received ... loving, caring and thanking us for loving Him and those we've touched who've come into our lives, expectedly and unexpectedly? How many times have we just loved our Lord?

Why do I say this? Do we realize that the Body of Christ in the transformed bread and wine we receive is transforming us as well as the believers who have received with us? Do we allow this to happen? We receive the Body and blood of Christ for spiritual nourishment. We know about eating; we need food and drink for our own nourishment. We have known many extremes: eating way too much; not eating enough; or eating the wrong food, bringing sickness. We know so many in the world don't have enough to eat and we are sensitive to them. So many hunger physically ... everyone hungers spiritually ... how many are aware of this? How many seek this nourishment in the wrong way? How many are aware that Jesus fills this hunger? Do we let Him? Everyone living ... every person we encounter daily ... has a need for physical nourishment and spiritual nourishment that only God can provide. Am I ... are you ... aware of our responsibility to satisfy these hungers? We have been gifted to do just this. Are we listening? Are we responding? How can we do this?

Abram meets with the priest Melchizedek, who is also the king of Salem. This comes after Abraham and his clan have defeated an army of Canaanite kings who had captured his nephew, Lot, as a prisoner of war. Lot was not involved in the war but was living in Sodom. Abram is still struggling in trusting God. He has already left his homeland. God directs him to Egypt. Then he goes back to Canaan where he again is assured that all the land he can see belongs to him and his countless descendants. Today Abram receives a reminder of God's loving care through Melchizedek, who has brought bread and wine to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving for finding Lot and his family and also the victory over the Canaanite kings. What is fascinating in this encounter is that Abraham, who is not a king, is able to defeat a coalition of kings who have challenged all the other kings in the area. He does this because he has made an oath to trust in God's presence and plan for him and God's yet-to-be-established people. It is interesting that he gives a tenth of the spoils of his victory (a tithe). How generous am I in responding to God's generosity? On his retreats, Msgr. Chet Michael said repeatedly, "Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude ... and more gratitude."

Paul begins his letter to the Corinthians with, "Brothers and sisters: I have received from the Lord what I also handed on to you ..." [1 Corinthians 11:23] Paul writes this because he is criticizing his recipients' conduct  during their eucharistic celebrations. They have been allowing rich Christians to share a potluck dinner after the Eucharist, but only with other rich Christians ... thus forcing poor Christians to share a more modest potluck dinner a distance away with other poor Christians. All are equal ... all are loved ... we are all brothers and sisters ... we are one. Are we? Am I a divider?

The miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand with the five loaves and two fishes is Jesus' only miracle that appears in all four Gospels. Luke goes along with his source, Mark, rather closely, changing the location from the wilderness to the vicinity of a quiet town called Bethsaida. There is no explanation as to *how* this miraculous feeding takes place. The important part is that all the people eat and are satisfied. Before the miracle, Jesus "... healed those who needed to be cured. ..." [Luke 9:11] This leads to an interesting reflection: Am I aware that I am in "relationship" with those around me? Am I aware of their needs? Or am I the predominant "needer?" Is it all about me and my needs, meaning I miss the needs of the people the Lord has placed in my life? The miracle of the loaves and fishes, the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper ... both invite each of us as Christians to see the intrinsic connection between God's care for the material needs and His care for our spiritual needs through the ongoing feeding of the multitude emphasized by Jesus' injunction: "Give them some food yourselves." [Luke 9:13]

So I reflect on:

• I take some moments this week to allow the Holy Spirit to awaken in me the hunger I carry. Do I see any hungers in those around me?
• So often we say, "Give us this day our daily bread." I think of my own times of hardship, be they physical or spiritual. How has the Lord given me my "daily bread?"
  

Sacred Space 2022 states:

"Mother Theresa said about Jesus, 'He uses us to be His love and compassion in the world in spite of our weaknesses and frailties.' In this miracle Jesus does not produce food out of nowhere. He takes the little that the apostles have, and it multiplies it a thousandfold. No matter how little I think I have to give, once I freely place my gifts in Jesus' service they become limitless."