Browsing Deacon Mark Ebben articles

Corpus Christi

 June 6, 2021

Do you remember when you received your First Holy Communion? As little children, we learned that Communion was
Jesus. After the excitement of that First Communion wore off, it was easy to forget what we were doing or whom we were receiving when we approached the Eucharist. Our parents had to remind us continually to talk to Jesus and to pray.

Today is Corpus Christi, a solemnity the Church gives us to remind us of what we are doing and whom we are receiving when we approach the Eucharist. The original celebration of the Body of Christ was begun in the thirteenth century. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote some of the music for the Mass. The priest (or deacon) would carry the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of the town, stopping several times for Benediction.

As a child, I remember processing around St. John’s Church in Little Chute. As a deacon, I remember processing at Holy Cross and the St. Mary’s sites. Maybe when COVID is history, we will be able to have processions again.

In today’s first reading, from the Book of Exodus, God’s people accepted the covenant of the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. It was so solemn that a sacrifice was used to seal the covenant. Now consider the most solemn promise you have made. These are ritually spoken, out loud, before witnesses. Examples would be Baptism, Matrimony or Holy Orders. If you receive Communion regularly, you also pledge with your “AMEN” to become the Body and Blood of Christ to others. This is more than just saying “I Agree.” Holy Communion is an intimate sharing of the presence of Christ. We are recommitting ourselves to be active members of our church community that spreads the Kingdom of God, through sacrificial love.

The Eucharist is a word that means Thanksgiving.  It is a way that we thank God for the life we have received.  We thank God for the many ways that we experience His love in every aspect of our lives.

The Eucharist is a mystery of commitment and strength. The commitment is to do the work of the kingdom. The strength that we need is the very presence of Jesus within us as a church and as individuals. He is our guidance when times are difficult. He is the answer for COVID, sickness, emptiness and all our troubles. That is why we stop and pray after Communion. He is always there for us.

There are so many reasons why we pray when we have Jesus within us. All of them are valid.  Every petition is heard by the Lord, especially when Jesus is within us.

Today we pray for sincerity. We pray that we might be sincere in the commitment we make every time we receive communion. We were in awe when we received Jesus the first time.
Let us be in awe every time we receive Jesus.

Blessings,
Deacon Mark

 

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