Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Ex 24:3-8; Heb 9:11-15; Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
Blood, blood, blood. These are bloody readings. The image of blood runs all through them, from Exodus in the Old Testament to Hebrews and Mark in the New Testament, from animal sacrifice to the blood sacrifice of Christ, for the forgiveness of sins. It is a transfusion of life for our wounded souls.
We celebrate Christ’s body and Blood today on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the saving action of Christ, made present in the Eucharist, the bread and wine, transformed into Christ’s own Body and Blood, soul and divinity [called …?]. Blood was life to Moses and the Israelites as we heard. Christ gave his life in blood as a transfusion that brings about our transformation into Himself. We become what we receive (St. Augustine). We become a gift to the world in acts of self-giving, the marks of a Christian. We do as Christ did. As we journey through this world, Christ journeys with us. That is why we have processions on Corpus Christi: to remind us that Christ travels on the journey with us [That’s why my homily is shorter today – to allow for our procession at the end.] As people on the journey from Harrodsburg to Heaven, we become images of Christ. His blood is in us. We are His body.
We all have our wounds. We heal our wounds with Christ’s body and blood and by our acts of self-giving, in our families, in our parish, in the world.