A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 9:11b-17
Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people." Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty." They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.
REFLECTION
"They all ate and were satisfied."
The Lord says, "If my people had heard me, if only they walked in my ways, I would swiftly have crushed their enemies, stretched my hand over those who persecuted them." (Psalm 80) And the Triune God continued to search for His people.
And in one voice, all the people said," We will observe all the commands that the Lord has decreed. This was the blood of the covenant that the Lord had made when He gave His commandments. Bullocks were immolated and holocausts offered and they promised to obey." (Exodus 24:1-11) The people failed and the Triune God continued to search for His people.
Today we celebrate with joy the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. We celebrate the NEW Covenant between God and His creatures through Jesus offering Himself on the Cross. And in doing so, promising He will never leave us and He left Himself for our nourishment in the Holy Eucharist--the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. No more bullocks and holocausts. The Holy Eucharist is the REAL presence of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
We pray the Holy Mass, every day, in memory of the Sacrifice by our Redeemer at the Cross for the redemption of mankind. The priest asks God to receive his offerings of bread and wine as we offer ourselves as well. He calls on the Holy Spirit to bless it. The priest prays that the bread and wine will be acceptable and pleasing to God to change into the Body and Blood of His dearly beloved Son.
The priest speaks reverently the words used by Jesus at the institution of the Eucharist on the day before He suffered and died. And Christ renews sacramentally, without shedding His Blood, the Sacrifice of His death upon the Cross. We adore the Body and Blood of our Redeemer and we call to mind that the Eucharist is the very Victim of Calvary as well as the risen Christ, now glorified. And may the gift of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity have everlasting effects on our souls.
On Corpus Christi day, there usually is a procession of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass. There can be flowers strewn in front of Our Lord, prayers, songs, wreaths of flowers on the doors and windows. The procession concludes with Benediction.
How can we thank our Lord, for always looking for us, loving us and giving of Himself so that we can all eat and be satisfied? Pray the Holy Mass (Pope Saint Piux X) and pray for His priests. PAPA Prayer for Priests
References: The Latin-English Booklet Missal for Praying the Traditional Mass
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