JUNE 2-3, 2018
10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
Launched on April 25, 1981 … the Los Angeles Class submarine – the Corpus Christi – drew wide criticism from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as Catholic politicians. One thousand demonstrators protested the event, with 21 arrests and one even making a bomb threat. While the submarine was named for the city of Corpus Christi in Texas, the thought of a nuclear capable vessel being named after the Latin words for “the Body of Christ” was considered offensive to many.
The bishop of the Corpus Christi diocese, as well as the bishops of two of the three dioceses of Connecticut expressed their opposition to the name. However, the mayor of the City of Corpus Christi, on behalf of a quarter million residents, saw it as an honor to have the new submarine named for their beloved city.
Thirty-five years later, the USS City of Corpus Christi sits in Bremerton, Washington … having been de-commissioned in 2016, after thirty-five (35) years of use.
Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
This feast is of relatively recent origin, the Mass and Office texts having been prepared by none other than St. Thomas Aquinas in the year 1264. The immediate reason was to commemorate a miracle, one year before, where a German priest, doubting the generosity of Christ in coming Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist … was given a singular miracle when at the Words of Institution, “This is My Body,” the host began to bleed onto his hands and onto the altar cloth.
But even more than commemorating a 13th century miracle, this day celebrates the central mystery of our Faith – what the Second Vatican Council referred to as the “source and summit of the Christian life.”
And so, while 35 or more years ago, Catholics were so moved to protest the naming of a nuclear sub after the Body of Christ … perhaps they missed the fact that even beyond nuclear power, the power of the Most Blessed Sacrament surpasses all human power … not to mention surpasses our mere human understanding.
Which begs the question – do we realize the infinite and unlimited power of the Most Holy Eucharist to transform our lives and draw us into the Heart of Christ and into the Will of God?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church outlines what are called “The Effects of the Eucharist,”
These fourteen effects are but a minimal subset of the infinite transforming effects of the power of the Eucharist – which, I daresay – far too many Catholics take for granted.
The effects, enumerated by the Catechism are:
1. Cleanses and separates us from sin,If we were to tune into just one of these effect – fully in any given week – we would be blown away by the power of God operating in our life.
2. Commits us to the poor,
3. Communicates the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity,
4. Establishes the community of believers,
5. Foretaste of eternal life,
6. Growth in Christian life,
7. Increase of the grace received in Baptism,
8. Source of conversion and penance,
9. Spiritual food,
10. Transforms us through Christ,
11. Unites us with Christ,
12. Unites us as Christians,
13. Unites us with the heavenly liturgy,
14. We participate in Christ's sacrifice.
And if we were to take to the streets – not in protest, but in praise and in thanksgiving – to proclaim the marvels that God has done for us … would we muster thousands, or a mere 20 souls … willing to do so?
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … let us pray for a deeper appreciation and experience of the transforming power of Christ. And if we are able to participate in the procession through the neighborhood today – following the noon Mass – let us pray that the infinite and manifold graces of the Most Blessed Sacrament may not only change and transform us – but also transform our homes, our neighborhood, our country, and our world – for the greater glory of God.
