Fr. Louis Brioni
The Body of Christ, the one and only and universal Body, for each one of us.
This is our big celebration these days (some on June 20th and others on Sunday 23rd)
This is the unbelievable story of the Son of God who started his home in Mary’s womb to fill the whole world with His humanity.
With profound respect for all our brothers and sisters of different faith, we do realize in the mystery of His Body that Christianity is for sure the most human of all religions. As Saint Paul wrote, God did empty Himself of His divinity, to be fully a human person, flesh and bones, like us and with us. And for us.
After the solemnities of Pentecost and of the Holy Trinity, we are now called to celebrate with joyful faith the Body and Blood of Christ in all Catholic churches. What a blessed mystery of divine solidarity this is for us!
The Body is nothing else but Jesus Himself, His very life of 33 years on earth, His unconditional love for us. He wants us to eat Him; He wants us to welcome Him totally in us, physically and all; He wants us to become His very flesh in order to continue His incarnation within us to the end of time.
Jesus’ Body then becomes my body, the best of myself. This con-fusion of lives, His and mine, is truly the supreme and final purpose of the Word that has become flesh (Jo 1.14), our vocation to remain forever “risen” as he did, as He is.
As an old priest now of 58 years of Eucharists, I remember how only a few people in our parishes used to receive communion before Vatican II. Now everybody goes to communion, even the small boy of three who eagerly extends his hand to me to get the blessed host. Everyone. But is it right? Is it OK?
With Pope Francis, in cases like these, I ask myself, “Who am I to judge?” I only hope and pray that Jesus would be at home with all communicants, no matter their possible failures of life. At the same time this merciful tolerance does not excuse us priests to qualify our communicants with meaningful catechesis and pastoral assistance.
Episodes in the Gospel, like Zaccheus’ or of the woman caught in adultery, clearly tell us that Jesus is immediate in His forgiveness. He does not wait for tomorrow to love us. But He wants salvation for us now, best when we receive communion in memory of Him.
Our yearly celebration of the Body of Jesus is then a privileged moment to renew our faith and gratitude to Him our Word, and Saviour, and Brother, and Friend, and Body and Blood, always!
This celebration gives the best meaning to “our daily bread” in the recitation of the Our Father, gives us eagerness to receive Him as our most vital encounter as often as possible.
As our communion or contemplation, the Body of Jesus introduces us into the reality of the Paschal Mystery, where “the hour” of Jesus becomes the centre of my hours, of every day, of every year. But is the Eucharist truly “the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for us” as we keep teaching our catechumens? I find somehow sad to see that often our church buildings are losing the sacredness of the Blessed Sacrament by turning their floors to all kinds of activities which have nothing to do with the Real Presence of Jesus in the tabernacle.
Finally, we are all aware and convinced that Jesus’ Body in not only given to me, but to the many, to all who are willing to receive it. In this way communion with the Body and its adoration is not only the most intimate time with Jesus, but also with the whole Church and, in the end, with all humanity. With Jesus in me I become Christ-like, universally ready to give also my body for the good of everyone, neighbor or not. We missionaries try to put into practice this divine possibility in us by being all to all, as St. Paul reminds us. Yes, sometimes we do fail to be truly “catholic”, but when we find ourselves deeply sharing with “the others” the same time of prayer, the same need for consolation, the peace of mutual forgiveness, the joy of a feast and its abundant food, then we know that the Body of Christ has truly become present in both us and them.
And that is enough for me and for all to live and to die!
The Body of Christ, the one and only and universal Body, for each one of us.
This is our big celebration these days (some on June 20th and others on Sunday 23rd)
This is the unbelievable story of the Son of God who started his home in Mary’s womb to fill the whole world with His humanity.
With profound respect for all our brothers and sisters of different faith, we do realize in the mystery of His Body that Christianity is for sure the most human of all religions. As Saint Paul wrote, God did empty Himself of His divinity, to be fully a human person, flesh and bones, like us and with us. And for us.
After the solemnities of Pentecost and of the Holy Trinity, we are now called to celebrate with joyful faith the Body and Blood of Christ in all Catholic churches. What a blessed mystery of divine solidarity this is for us!
The Body is nothing else but Jesus Himself, His very life of 33 years on earth, His unconditional love for us. He wants us to eat Him; He wants us to welcome Him totally in us, physically and all; He wants us to become His very flesh in order to continue His incarnation within us to the end of time.
Jesus’ Body then becomes my body, the best of myself. This con-fusion of lives, His and mine, is truly the supreme and final purpose of the Word that has become flesh (Jo 1.14), our vocation to remain forever “risen” as he did, as He is.
As an old priest now of 58 years of Eucharists, I remember how only a few people in our parishes used to receive communion before Vatican II. Now everybody goes to communion, even the small boy of three who eagerly extends his hand to me to get the blessed host. Everyone. But is it right? Is it OK?
With Pope Francis, in cases like these, I ask myself, “Who am I to judge?” I only hope and pray that Jesus would be at home with all communicants, no matter their possible failures of life. At the same time this merciful tolerance does not excuse us priests to qualify our communicants with meaningful catechesis and pastoral assistance.
Episodes in the Gospel, like Zaccheus’ or of the woman caught in adultery, clearly tell us that Jesus is immediate in His forgiveness. He does not wait for tomorrow to love us. But He wants salvation for us now, best when we receive communion in memory of Him.
Our yearly celebration of the Body of Jesus is then a privileged moment to renew our faith and gratitude to Him our Word, and Saviour, and Brother, and Friend, and Body and Blood, always!
This celebration gives the best meaning to “our daily bread” in the recitation of the Our Father, gives us eagerness to receive Him as our most vital encounter as often as possible.
As our communion or contemplation, the Body of Jesus introduces us into the reality of the Paschal Mystery, where “the hour” of Jesus becomes the centre of my hours, of every day, of every year. But is the Eucharist truly “the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for us” as we keep teaching our catechumens? I find somehow sad to see that often our church buildings are losing the sacredness of the Blessed Sacrament by turning their floors to all kinds of activities which have nothing to do with the Real Presence of Jesus in the tabernacle.
Finally, we are all aware and convinced that Jesus’ Body in not only given to me, but to the many, to all who are willing to receive it. In this way communion with the Body and its adoration is not only the most intimate time with Jesus, but also with the whole Church and, in the end, with all humanity. With Jesus in me I become Christ-like, universally ready to give also my body for the good of everyone, neighbor or not. We missionaries try to put into practice this divine possibility in us by being all to all, as St. Paul reminds us. Yes, sometimes we do fail to be truly “catholic”, but when we find ourselves deeply sharing with “the others” the same time of prayer, the same need for consolation, the peace of mutual forgiveness, the joy of a feast and its abundant food, then we know that the Body of Christ has truly become present in both us and them.
And that is enough for me and for all to live and to die!