The Body and Blood of Christ Sunday Year B - 10/06/2012 - Gospel: Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
Life
Body and blood give life and support life. It is neither body nor blood that gives life but both body and blood together that gives life. Body without blood sounds like a dead mummy and blood without body sounds like blood donated to the blood bank. Body and blood work in reciprocal ways because the body produces new blood cells and blood cells feed the body. When Jesus said this is my body and this is my blood given to you He means to give us both His body and blood. To give both body and blood means to give totally, the whole being.
Every time we receive the Body and Blood of Christ we receive the real Jesus Who is real present in the form of consecrated of bread and wine. Any other interpretation contrary to the real presence is a form of misapprehension, the teaching of the real presence of Jesus. The argument that consecrated bread and wine is only the symbols of Christ's presence or it is understood in a figurative sense is not true to the teaching of the Catholic faith. When believe the consecrated bread and wine is only symbol of Christ's presence it means we put it at the same level of God's gift- manna in the desert. Jesus made claim that 'manna' your ancestors ate in the desert is not like the bread from heaven and they are death, but those who eat his Flesh and drink the Cup will have life in them and eternal life Jn 6,58. In other words the consecrated bread and wine at the Eucharist is much more important than the 'manna', in the desert. It is the real Body and Blood of Jesus.
The words of the Lord have the power to transform the life of a death person. It has the power to turn water into wine. It has the power to give sight for the blind. Transforming bread and wine to be His real body and blood become a problem for some believers. Those who have problem need to think more about the power of the words of God. If the words of God have no power what is the point of reading the bible, or praying of the words. Can we as humans have the power to set a limit to the words of God? The limitation is that after the consecration the bread and wine can only be symbols of Christ presence, not His real Body and Blood. It is not exactly the intention of Jesus when He established the Eucharist. It is the New Covenant sealed by His sacrifice on the cross.
In the commercial world knowledge gives power and generates wealth; in the spiritual world wisdom give life and eternal life. True wisdom comes from the words of God. The lack of trust in the words of God would cause a problem to receive true wisdom from the words.
Denying the true presence of God at the Eucharist raises further question can a symbol gives life to our soul? Symbols don't have life in them how can it give something which they don't have? It is harder to make sense the teaching of Jesus that he who eats my body and drinks my blood will have life in them.
Jesus could not command us to do anything that doesn't deepen our faith and love for God. He previously had meals at different places but He had never made the meal to be a Covenant. The meal before the Passover Jesus held the bread and wine He gave thanks to God. After that he told his disciples to do it in rememberance of Him.
Accepting the real presence of Jesus at the Eucharist is a sign of universal unity as we pray
Every time we receive the Body and Blood of Christ we receive the real Jesus Who is real present in the form of consecrated of bread and wine. Any other interpretation contrary to the real presence is a form of misapprehension, the teaching of the real presence of Jesus. The argument that consecrated bread and wine is only the symbols of Christ's presence or it is understood in a figurative sense is not true to the teaching of the Catholic faith. When believe the consecrated bread and wine is only symbol of Christ's presence it means we put it at the same level of God's gift- manna in the desert. Jesus made claim that 'manna' your ancestors ate in the desert is not like the bread from heaven and they are death, but those who eat his Flesh and drink the Cup will have life in them and eternal life Jn 6,58. In other words the consecrated bread and wine at the Eucharist is much more important than the 'manna', in the desert. It is the real Body and Blood of Jesus.
The words of the Lord have the power to transform the life of a death person. It has the power to turn water into wine. It has the power to give sight for the blind. Transforming bread and wine to be His real body and blood become a problem for some believers. Those who have problem need to think more about the power of the words of God. If the words of God have no power what is the point of reading the bible, or praying of the words. Can we as humans have the power to set a limit to the words of God? The limitation is that after the consecration the bread and wine can only be symbols of Christ presence, not His real Body and Blood. It is not exactly the intention of Jesus when He established the Eucharist. It is the New Covenant sealed by His sacrifice on the cross.
In the commercial world knowledge gives power and generates wealth; in the spiritual world wisdom give life and eternal life. True wisdom comes from the words of God. The lack of trust in the words of God would cause a problem to receive true wisdom from the words.
Denying the true presence of God at the Eucharist raises further question can a symbol gives life to our soul? Symbols don't have life in them how can it give something which they don't have? It is harder to make sense the teaching of Jesus that he who eats my body and drinks my blood will have life in them.
Jesus could not command us to do anything that doesn't deepen our faith and love for God. He previously had meals at different places but He had never made the meal to be a Covenant. The meal before the Passover Jesus held the bread and wine He gave thanks to God. After that he told his disciples to do it in rememberance of Him.
Accepting the real presence of Jesus at the Eucharist is a sign of universal unity as we pray
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia