The Catechism tells us that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.”
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi fills me with joy. I have memories as a child of processions with the Monstrance held high as everyone followed the priest, hands folded. The Eucharist has always been my deepest devotion and as I have traveled to many mission locations throughout the years, the small church in a village in Ecuador, the Cathedral in Cameroon, the hospital chapel in Zimbabwe, I feel united by Christ in the Eucharist to all these locations and all these people at every Mass.
But rather that attempt to offer an inadequate reflection on the Eucharist, I wanted to share some of the wisdom of the saints as we celebrate together this most Holy Feast.
- St Augustine O Sacrament of Love! O sign of Unity! O bond of Charity! He who would have Life finds here indeed a Life to live in and a Life to live by.
- Cyril of Alexandria: “As two pieces of wax fused together make one, so he who receives Holy Communion is so united with Christ that Christ is in him and he is in Christ.
- Francis of Assisi: “Let everyone be struck with fear, the whole world tremble and the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the altar in the hands of a priest!”
- Angela of Foligno: “If we but paused for a moment to consider attentively what takes place in this Sacrament, I am sure that the thought of Christ’s love for us would transform the coldness of our hearts into a fire of love and gratitude.”
- Cyprian “This supernatural bread and this consecrated chalice are for the health and salvation of mankind.”
- Maximilian Kolbe “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”
- Teresa of Calcutta: “I held the Host with two fingers and thought: How small Jesus made Himself, in order to show us that He doesn’t expect great things of us, but rather little things with great love.”
- Pope John Paul II “From the Eucharist comes strength to live the Christian life and zeal to share that life with others”
May this Solemnity of Corpus Christi give all of us the opportunity to pause and reflect with gratitude on this greatest gift, and may we go out into the world as a reflection of Christ’s love.