The Feast of Corpus Christi is like a perfect jewel tucked in a crevice. We’ve journeyed through the glorious Easter Season; and, as we settle back into Ordinary Time, this liturgical gem emerges. Corpus Christi reminds us what it means to be Catholics while clarifying that the Body of Christ is one through our shared participation in the Eucharist.

Historical Origins and Liturgical Position in the Season

In the 12th century, the Feast of Corpus Christi gained wide following in the Church, after the prompting of St. Juliana of Mount Cornillon in Belgium. The Church celebrated the feast with vast processions and Biblical dramas. In France, the Feast of Corpus Christi is known as the Day of Wreaths where flowered wreaths are carried high on sticks in processions and placed on homes and gardens.

In this part of the world, this feast appears in the calendar year at the beginning of summer when flowers are in bloom. The juxtaposition of the season with the feast gives me a sense of the fullness of grace. In New England, the weather remains moderate while the summer sun warms the earth and all the plants appear in a bright array of greens interspersed with vibrant flowers. The natural season provides a fitting metaphor for the placement of Corpus Christi within both the liturgical and natural seasons.

Mass Readings for Corpus Christi

The Mass readings align the gift of manna that sustained the Israelites in their 40-year desert wanderings (Deuteronomy 8: 2-3, 14-16) with Paul’s reminder to the new Christians of their unity in the body of Christ is formed of “one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17), culminating in the most riveting of all Gospel passages:

I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?”Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. (John 6:48-57)

The Evangelical Message of Corpus Christi

This feast unifies many branches of the Orthodox Church with the Roman Church. This feast also forms a dividing line between protestants and Catholics.

The concept of oneness in the Body of Christ is a common identifying link among all Christians. However, the historic Church identifies that unity not in some vague largess — as if Christ forms a vast outline around all His people from the heavens. The unity derives from the Eucharist — His body and blood offered once-for-all time in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We participate in His Body through our ingestion of the Eucharist. We take the divine life directly within us.

Participation in the Eucharist is a dividing line that separates Catholics from protestants. And even the Bible remains unequivocal on this issue. Christ told his followers: “”Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves” (John 6:53). This leaves very little room for interpretation.

The Eucharist is the beginning of our life in Christ. Without the Eucharist, there is no life in Christ.

Enter into the Feast of Corpus Christi with your full presence, and remember to carry His presence out into the world.

Barbara

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…… (here name your request)
Our Father….
Hail Mary….
Glory Be to the Father….

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…….(here name your request)
Our Father…
Hail Mary….
Glory Be To the Father….

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of…..(here name your request)
Our Father….
Hail Mary….
Glory Be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.

Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.   ~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Padre Pio recited this novena every day for all those who requested his prayers. (source)

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…… (here name your request)
Our Father….
Hail Mary….
Glory Be to the Father….

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…….(here name your request)
Our Father…
Hail Mary….
Glory Be To the Father….

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of…..(here name your request)
Our Father….
Hail Mary….
Glory Be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.

Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.   ~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

 Padre Pio recited this novena every day for all those who requested his prayers. (source)

The Angelus (1857–59) by Jean-François Millet

Five months ago yesterday, my dad died unexpectedly.  On so many levels, life has never been the same since.

In the middle of May, after 22 years of being home with my children, I started working full-time. On so many levels, life has never been the same since.

One of the biggest adjustments I’ve had is that I haven’t been able to go to daily Mass. Before and after my dad’s death, the Eucharist was my daily bread. And I needed it so much more after his death.  Now, with the hours of my job and the length of my commute, I rarely make it to Mass.

I sometimes feel like I’m starving.

Like so many others in this work-a-day world, I struggle to be near to Jesus. Yet…I know he is always with me. He’s just harder to find because I have to pay more attention. I have to seek him in ways that are unfamiliar.

I seek him in the moments. I find him in my rosary when I arise at 5:30, so I can have some quiet time to pray. I find him in my commute when I exercise patience in the traffic. I pause and say his name when I go from my desk to get a cup of coffee. I call on the Holy Spirit in times when I need grace. My phone chimes at noon, “Angelus”, and at 3PM, “Hour of Mercy”. I bow my head and pray. Prayer is what keeps me connected to him.

One of the beauties of the Mass is its structure. I need structure. I need a novena!

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is on June 27, so I’m going to pray the novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to help me to find Jesus in the structure of prayer. For the next 9 days I will post this prayer, so that I can pray it. Perhaps that’s selfish because just like you, it arrives in my in-tray and reminds me to pray. But to be honest with you, that really doesn’t matter to me. I need help; perhaps you do too. The only thing that really matters is that we all find Jesus.

I invite you to pray with me every day for the next 9 days – that the merciful heart of Jesus will enfold the world in his care. We need it more than ever.

and…I must apologize that I am publishing this at 10pm on the first night of the novena.  Dinner was late tonight, too…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!  Anne

 

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…… (here name your request)
Our Father….
Hail Mary….
Glory Be to the Father….

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…….(here name your request)
Our Father…
Hail Mary….
Glory Be To the Father….

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of…..(here name your request)
Our Father….
Hail Mary….
Glory Be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.

Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.   ~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

 Padre Pio recited this novena every day for all those who requested his prayers. (source)

I awoke early this morning and was unable to get back to sleep – an increasingly common occurrence in my life. The good thing is that I was able to spend more time in prayer.

Towards the end of my rosary, the Spirit led me to two entries in St. Faustina’s diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul. They are brief, but deep, and both brought a big smile to my face and a rich peace to my soul full of tenderness and intimacy.

I will bring them with me throughout my day, recalling them in moments when I pause to invite Jesus into my work. My hope is that He will actually interrupt me in my work to say, “Hi!” instead of waiting for my mindfulness. It’ll be a much better day if He does!

I pray you will be equally blessed.

St Faustina, pray for us!  Anne

+ O Jesus, hidden God,
My heart perceives You
Though veils hide You;
You know that I love you. 
+ J.M.J  (524)

O Holy Trinity, Eternal God, I want to shine in the  crown of Your mercy as a tiny gem whose beauty depends on the ray of Your light and of Your inscrutable mercy. All that is beautiful in my soul is Yours, O God; of myself, I am ever nothing. (617)