SUNDAY HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST – YEAR B

SUNDAY HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST – YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: EUCHARISTIC COMMUNION – SHARING IN GOD’S LOVE AND MISSION

BY: Fr. Anthony O. Ezeaputa

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This liturgical celebration affirms the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, as well as the process through which this mystery comes about, which is transubstantiation.

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The Catholic Church proclaims the doctrine of the Real Presence as a truth of faith, clearly revealed in the gospel narrative (Mark 14:22–24; Matthew 26:26–30; Luke 22:19–20; John 6:53–56). It is a “truth of faith” because it requires the eyes of faith to see and understand, not simply a matter of human reasoning or empirical evidence (Dei Verbum, 5).

The early Church Fathers, such as St. Ignatius of Antioch (Letter to the Romans, 7:3), St. Irenaeus (Against Heresies, 4:18:4), and St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Catechetical Lectures, 22:7), consistently echoed this truth in their writings. The Church has steadfastly held and taught this doctrine, reaffirming it through various councils and papal decrees.

Have you ever wondered if Jesus is really present in the Eucharist? You’re not alone! Many people have questioned how this can be true. But the Church has consistently taught that Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist is a truth of faith (Dei Verbum, 5). And if you need further proof, a powerful miracle in Bolsena, Italy, in 1263, demonstrates Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist.

A priest was celebrating Mass, but he was struggling with doubts about the Real Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist. And then, something amazing happened. A few drops of blood miraculously flowed from the consecrated Host, confirming what our faith professes—that Christ is truly, really, and substantially present in the Eucharistic species of bread and wine (Council of Trent, DS 1640).

The priest was so moved by this miracle that he wrapped the corporal cloth with the traces of the Eucharistic miracle, and it’s still preserved in Orvieto Cathedral to this day. This incredible event was a testament to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and it inspired Pope Urban IV to institute the feast of Corpus Christi as a feast of precept for the universal church in 1264 (Transiturus de hoc mundo).

This miracle at Bolsena is a powerful reminder that our faith is not just based on words or symbols, but on the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “The Eucharist is the sacrament of the Real Presence of Christ” (Summa Theologica, III, 73, 3). So, the next time you receive Communion, remember the miracle of Bolsena and the countless saints and martyrs who have given their lives for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, in His boundless love, desires to be fully present among us. He achieves this through a miraculous transformation in the Eucharist, which the Church calls transubstantiation. This term clarifies the transformation of the bread and wine in the Eucharist into Christ’s Body and Blood, soul, and divinity without altering their physical appearance or “accidents” (Catechism, 1376).

Transubstantiation simply means that Christ’s Body and Blood replace the substance or essential reality of the bread and wine, while maintaining their physical properties. This substantial presence allows Christ, both God and man, to make Himself wholly and entirely present to us through the Eucharistic species (Catechism, 1374).

This unique mode of presence is fitting, as Christ was about to depart from His disciples in His visible form. He wanted to give us a sacramental presence that would remain with us always (Catechism, 1380). Moreover, as He was about to offer Himself on the cross to save us, He wanted to leave us a memorial of the love with which He loved us to the end (Catechism, 1380).

Through transubstantiation, Christ’s Eucharistic presence becomes a source of strength, nourishment, and unity for believers. “The Eucharist is the sacrament of the Real Presence of Christ, and it is the summit of all the sacraments,” said St. John Paul II (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 11).

Today, let us renew our trust in Jesus Christ, who is alive and really present among us. Let us adore and praise the Lord, who loves us to the end. The eucharistic communion encompasses both the experience of love and the obligation to love others. Jesus loves us and gives us his sacramental presence, as well as a memorial to his love.

May we who receive the Eucharist become more conscious that we are sharing in the love of God and the mission of love. Zacchaeus, the tax collector, serves as an example of this (Luke 19:1–10).

After welcoming Jesus into his household, Zacchaeus was so changed that he gave half of his belongings to the poor and fourfold repaid those he had duped. Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist must bring about a transubstantial change in our lives and relationships.

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