June 7, 2010. Homily, Sunday, June 10, 2010

Corpus Christi (the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)


Mark 14:12-16, 22-26


On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover Lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "When do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went and entered the city, and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
[14: 17-21 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, "Surely, not I?" He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born."]
While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.  Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.


"Go into the city and a man will meet you carrying a jar of water." Identified not by his name but by his acts. So too will we be identified not by our names but by our acts. The disciples followed him "wherever he enters" and spoke not to him but to the master of the house. And the master is identified not by his name or by his house. And the master obeys the teacher.  The room is found "furnished and ready" and the disciples made the preparations for the Passover  there.


Then while they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, and then gave the words of consecration of the Bread (This is my body. Corpus Christi) and of the cup of the fruit of the vine (This is my blood of the covenant which shall be shed for many.).  They had eaten and drank, then after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.