The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
On this day we pause to meditate on one of the greatest mysteries in Christianity: the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is truly present in Holy Communion. At Mass the gifts of bread and wine really and truly become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. Through this covenant of love, God draws us into God’s divine life and offers us food for our earthly pilgrimage to continue with the faith and hope, confident in God’s ability to transform our weaknesses and sufferings into life and joy. The origin of today’s observance comes from the 12th century. At that time people developed an exaggerated emphasis on the real presence of Christ in the consecrated Bread to be adored rather than the fuller meaning of Eucharist as a celebration, a meal to be eaten (as was Christ’s original intention). People in the Middle Ages, feeling unworthy to receive Christ in Holy Communion, preferred to look at the Blessed Sacrament. Afterwards elaborate outdoor processions became common as another means for people to observe and adore the Sacrament. The observance was known by its Latin title, Corpus Christi (“Body of Christ”) with a separate observance of the Feast of the Precious Blood on July 1st. With the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the meaning of the Eucharist has been recaptured in the context of a meal and the Church’s public worship, with most people receiving Holy Communion when they participate at the Mass. Outdoor processions, though still popular in some places, have been replaced with a renewed emphasis to “take and eat” sharing in the Eucharistic sacrifice and banquet. Since in the Eucharist we receive both the Body and Blood of Christ, the former Feast of the Precious Blood is now incorporated into today’s celebration and title.