The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 22, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Gn 14:18-20 / Ps 110 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Lk 9:11b-17
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, the Church invites us to pause and contemplate the wondrous gift of the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life.  In a world where many are starving, not just for food, but for love, truth, peace, and hope, the Eucharist remains God’s answer, a feast that feeds both body and soul.  Let us reflect on the readings that unveil the deep meaning of this feast.

In our first reading, we encounter Melchizedek, the mysterious priest-king of Salem, who offers bread and wine and blesses Abram.  This is more than an ancient gesture of hospitality; it prefigures the eternal High Priest, who will offer Himself under the signs of bread and wine.  Melchizedek’s act is the first priestly act in scripture involving bread and wine, and the Church sees in it a clear foreshadowing of the Eucharist.  This ancient encounter reminds us that the Eucharist is not a new invention.  It is rooted in salvation history and is the fulfillment of God’s plan from the beginning.

St. Paul, in the second reading, hands down what he himself received: the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.  “This is my Body, this is my Blood, do this in memory of Me.”  The Eucharist is not a symbol or a reminder; it is a real participation in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.  Every time we gather to celebrate the Mass, we proclaim the Lord’s death and resurrection until He comes again.  This reminds us that the Eucharist is not just a devotion. It is an encounter with the living Christ, a memorial that makes present the sacrifice of Calvary, transcending time and space.

In our gospel reading today, Jesus is preaching to the crowd and healing them.  When they are hungry, He multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed over five thousand.  He takes, blesses, breaks, and gives; the same actions you will see at the Last Supper.  This miracle is not just a gesture of compassion, but a sign pointing to the Eucharist where He feeds the world with his own Body and Blood.

St. Josemaria Escriva once wrote, “When you approach the Tabernacle, remember that He has been waiting for you for twenty centuries.”  This quote powerfully reminds us that Jesus, the Bread of Life, is not a distant figure from the past, but truly present, patiently awaiting us in every Tabernacle, ready to nourish and renew us.

All three readings today speak of a priestly offering of bread and wine, of divine blessing and abundance.  From Melchizedek’s offering to Paul’s account of the Last Supper, to Jesus feeding the multitudes, the message is clear:  God provides.  He gives not only what sustains our bodies, but what feeds our soul, His very self.  The Eucharist is the fulfillment of God’s eternal desire to be with His people in the most intimate and life-giving way.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi was established to draw our attention more deeply to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.  It is a feast of love and remembrance, not just of what Christ has done, but what He continues to do.  In our present times, a lot of people often overlook the sacred.  Where noise and destruction abound, this feast reminds us to adore, to give thanks, and to recognize the divine in the ordinary, in the humble Host.  The Feast of Corpus Christi exists to awaken in us a deeper reverence, love, and gratitude for this supreme gift.  It is a feast of remembrance and renewal.  It is also a public testimony.  That is why in many places, Eucharistic processions take place on this day, proclaiming to the world that Christ is present in our midst, not metaphorically, but truly.

We are reminded today that the Eucharist is God’s answer to our hunger for Him.  It invites us to center our lives on the Mass.  The Eucharist must not be just a Sunday obligation, but the heart of our Christian life.  We must also spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.  Like Mary of Bethany, we are called to sit at the feet of Jesus, to rest in His presence and to let Him transform our hearts.

The Eucharist is not just something we receive; it is a call to become Christ for others.  We are to be broken and shared, in service, in mercy, in love.  Let us also renew our reverence.  In a culture that is casual about sacred things, we are called to approach the Eucharist with awe.  Let us prepare our hearts to go to Confession regularly and to receive Him worthily.  Let us remember to be a witness to the Real Presence.  Our belief in the Eucharist must shape how we act, speak, and love, not just in church, but in the world.

In today’s world we are surrounded by hunger, not only physical hunger, but hunger for meaning, connection, truth, and beauty.  The Eucharist is our answer to this hunger.  It reminds us that we are never alone, never abandoned.  Christ is truly present and walks with us.  In the midst of individualism, the Eucharist reminds us of community.  In a world of division, it calls us to unity.  In a culture of superficiality, it draws us into the sacred.  In a time of busy-ness, it offers us rest in His presence.

Let us then return to the Eucharist with new eyes and open hearts.  Let us not take this miracle for granted.  Let us spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.  Let us participate in Sunday Mass with reverence and joy.  And let us become in our lives what we celebrate at the altar—Christ’s hands and feet in the world.  Today’s Solemnity is more than a celebration. It is an invitation to believe more deeply, to love more fervently, and to live more generously.  Jesus feeds us so that we can feed others.  He gives Himself so that we can give ourselves in return.  May our lives be a reflection of the Eucharist—taken, blessed, broken, and given for the life of the world.