Sunday, June 22, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi, invites us to reaffirm our faith in the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and with us even after the Ascension. There are couple of as-pects that we should keep in mind while reflecting deeply on the true meaning of this Sacrament and showing our rever-ence to the sacred gift of Holy Communion.

First, at the Last Supper, after giving His words and deeds, Jesus created the Sacrament of the Eucharist and gave Him-self to His disciples when He said, “This is my Body… This is my Blood.” However, the meaningful story of Jesus feeding the five thousand with only five loaves and two fish is a prefiguration of the Eucharist when “He took... blessed... broke... and gave...” These incidents help us to recognize that Jesus in the Eucharist fulfills His promise to remain not only with His disciples but always with each of us. He gives Himself as the Bread of Life to satisfy the deep-est hunger of our soul.

Second, we should remember that when we participate in the liturgy, we do not merely enter into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ and remember His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, but we also partake in this wonderful Mystery. In re-ceiving His Body and Blood, we are united not only to the Last Supper but to the eternal heavenly banquet. Every Mass draws us into deeper communion with Christ and the Church. Thus, the Holy Eucharist is at once a sacrifice, a sacra-ment, and a communion. It is the sacrifice of Christ made present, the sacrament of His love given to us, and the com-munion that binds us to God and to one another. This sacred sacrament strengthens us in faith, renews our discipleship, and gives us the courage to walk confidently on life’s journey. With humility and hope, we echo the words spoken be-fore Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.”

Third, we should know that in this weekend’s Gospel, Jesus not only performs a miracle, but invites His disciples to be part of it. When He says, “You give them something to eat,” He calls all of us to collaborate in His salvation. He shows us that five loaves and two fish, representing our limited human resources, become more than enough when offered with love, trust, and willingness. He shows us that what is insufficient becomes abundant and what is ordinary becomes sa-cred in His hands.

Lastly, as St. Augustine beautifully said, “Become what you receive,” the Eucharist is also a way of life we are called to live. In receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, we are invited to be transformed, to become broken and poured out in love and service to the world. At the end of every Mass, we are sent forth to encounter Christ in the hungry, the poor, the outcast, and the forgotten. The words, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,” are a call for us to carry His pres-ence through acts of mercy, justice, and love.

Sincerely yours in Jesus Christ and Our Lady of La Vang!

Reverend Kiet Anh Ta.