Solemnity of Corpus Christi: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever.

Commentary on the Sunday Mass Readings for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Cycle C:
The First Reading is Genesis 14:18-20. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed Abram, who gave him a tenth of everything.

This incident in the life of Abraham has been chosen for our first reading on the Feast of Corpus Christi, because of the reference to the offering of bread and wine. Abraham was returning victoriously from a battle against four invading kings from the east who had raided eastern Canaan and taken off much booty. He met Melchizedek, the King and chief Priest of Salem, a pagan city at that time (it was later called Jerusalem, and became the capital of Israel), who came out to meet and congratulate him.

The Second Reading is from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 11:23-26. St. Paul had preached the doctrine of the Blessed Eucharist to his Corinthian converts. The custom of the early Church was the imitate the Last Supper, during which our Lord had his last meal with his disciples, and then instituted the Eucharist. The Christians used to have a community meal (the Agape, meal of love and unity) after which they received the Holy Eucharist. Some abuses concerning the community meal cropped up in Corinth–lack of true charity among the congregation; the rich had abundance, they did not share with the poor; some went so far as to drink too much wine at the community meal and made themselves unworthy of receiving the Lord. Paul corrects these abuses in this letter and then goes on to emphasize once more what the Eucharist really is.

The Gospel is from Luke 9:11-17. Jesus miraculously feeds over five thousand people. It should not surprise us that Jesus, who miraculously fed over five thousand people out of sheer generosity, to prevent them feeling any pangs of hunger on their return journey home, could and would find a miraculous way to feed his faithful followers on their way to heaven. Many, if not most, of that five thousand had little or no interest in his teaching (he said so next day: see Jn 6:26), but were ready to take all the earthly benefits he would give them. Yet he wanted to prevent them from suffering any undue hardship.

We, his followers, have learned and appreciated his teaching and the supernatural future life which he has earned for us and promised us. We are trying to live Christian lives according to the rules he gave us. We are struggling along towards heaven, each in his own way, fervent at times, careless or cold often, perhaps, but still most anxious not to miss the glorious future he has prepared for us. With this proof of his kindness and generosity in helping this more or less indifferent multitude in the matter of earthly food, it is much easier for us to see him provide generously for the spiritual nourishment of his followers on their journey to their true and lasting home.

That he did so we have the certainty of the centuries-long tradition of generations of Christians, based on his own words recorded in the inspired writings. Christ has arranged to remain with us under the form of food for our spiritual sustenance in the sacred sacrifice of the Mass, in which we can partake of his sacred body and blood, soul and divinity. This is, we can receive the Incarnate Son of God in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

How could he do that is only a small mystery for our finite minds. He was God as well as man. But why he should do this for us unworthy creatures is the greater mystery by far. Infinite love, greater mystery by far. Infinite love, which we finite beings cannot even begin to understand, is the answer and the explanation. Instead, then, of wasting any time on trying to solve this mystery, which we know to be a fact, let us try to thank him for it and use this gift of his love as often as possible. This will be the greatest proof that we appreciate this divine gift. We know that we are not worthy to receive our divine Lord “under our roof.” Perhaps, we are even more unworthy than the pagan Centurion who was first to use these words. But we also know that Jesus can and will make us worthy if we ask him in all sincerity: “to say but the word” and we shall be healed.”

“It is not the healthy who need the doctor but the sick,” Christ said when accused of being too friendly with sinners (Mt 9:12). We Christians are more often spiritually sick and dead than healthy. However, we have our doctor and he cares for us. It is only by following his advice, and by using the spiritual medical nourishment he prescribes for us, that we can overcome our illnesses and weaknesses and keep on the straight and narrow road to heaven.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings, Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan, O.F.M.