When we attend Mass, we gather to witness and partake in a great mystery. With just a few words spoken by priests, simple bread and wine become a gift far beyond anything ever imagined. The simplest of foods become the Son of God Himself. Just as He broke the five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand, He feeds us with the spiritual food and drink of His Body and Blood shed on the Cross. Through reverent reception of Our Lord’s Body and Blood, our spiritual lives are given in this world what is needed to prepare for entry into eternal life in the next world.
At every Mass, priests speak the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ which St. Paul repeats in his first Letter to the Corinthians, and a miracle occurs in the gifts of bread and wine placed before him. St. Ambrose, a Father and Doctor of the Church who lived in the 4th Century AD, described this miracle: “Before it is consecrated, it is bread; but when Christ’s words have been added, it is the body of Christ. . . . And before the words of Christ, the chalice is full of wine and water. When the words of Christ have been added, then blood is effected which redeemed the people.” They are no longer bread and wine, simple foods made from wheat and grapes, but by speaking the words of Our Lord at the Last Supper before His Passion and Death, they become the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ which was offered on the Cross. His Body, pierced by nails and lance on the Cross for our sins, is now offered to us to eat. His Blood, poured out of his hands, feet, and side for our salvation, is now poured out for us to drink. He comes to us, in the appearance of bread and wine, so that we might be joined with Him and enter into His salvation.
This miraculous transformation is so important that the Second Vatican Council called the celebration of the Holy Mass, “the summit which the activity of the Church is directed” and “the font from which all Her power flows.” As Christians, the most important thing in our lives must be regular Sunday attendance at Mass and reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. Nothing in our lives is more important, and everything in our lives should flow from it. Through reverent reception of Holy Communion, receiving Our Lord’s Body and Blood, we are given as a gift the strength needed to face the struggles that confront us in this life. Regular reception of Holy Communion also prepares us for our eternal life in Heaven. We would never think of going a week, much less months, without eating and drinking food to nourish our bodies. It should be just as unthinkable to go months, if not years, without the Body and Blood of Christ.
Note carefully that I said “reverent reception” of Holy Communion. Before we approach Our Lord to receive His Body and Blood, we need to prepare ourselves for this great gift. Few, if any, of us would think of sitting down to dinner with greasy and dirt-covered hands, yet how often do we approach the Table of the Lord with souls stained by sin? Due to the fallen nature of humanity, we all commit sins on a daily basis, and we are all in need of God’s forgiveness. We need to seek out the Sacrament of Confession on a regular basis, once a year at a minimum, once a month is better, in order to keep our souls clean and ready to receive Our Lord.
We also need to prepare ourselves before Mass to receive the Body and Blood of Christ by taking time for prayer and reflection. Someone playing a sport would never think of just hopping out of the car, running on to the field, and entering the game without any preparation. Instead, this player, after putting on the appropriate uniform and gear, would spend some time warming up and stretching to get ready for the game.
Likewise, we need to spend a little time before Mass “stretching” ourselves so that we will be open to receiving Our Lord, both in the Scriptures proclaimed and in Holy Communion. I know this can be extremely difficult for parents, especially when your children seem to have an almost allergic reaction to being early and sitting still for anything they don’t like, but this is vitally important for your souls, as well as providing the example for your children. If we don’t prepare before Mass, we can and will take the Body and Blood of Our Lord for granted.
Today, on this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, may we receive Our Lord with reverence and great joy.
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