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"We, God's People of St. Augustine Parish, welcome ALL people to celebrate liturgies with us. As a spirit-filled Community, we are dedicated to the continuation of the mission of our Lord through Scripture, Sacrament, and Service.

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (06.22.2025)

          Today we celebrate Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus gives us his body and blood as a gift. The catechism lists names for this sacrament that highlighted different aspects of it. It is called Eucharist, or thanksgiving. It is also called the Lord’s supper, the breaking of bread, the memorial of the Lord’s Passion, and resurrection, the Holy Sacrifice, the sacred mysteries, the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion, the bread of angels, bread from heaven, and Holy Mass. 

          In the first reading, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram. Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. The Church sees in his celebratory feast a prefiguration of her own offering of bread and wine in the Eucharist. 

          In the second reading, Paul tells the Corinthians that on the night Jesus was handed over, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in memory of me.” Paul emphasizes Jesus’ action of self-giving and his double command to repeat his own action. We could see the Eucharist presented as sacrifice, self-gift, memorial, and sign of the new covenant.

          In the Gospel, Jesus miraculously feeds a crowd of five thousand. After speaking to them about the Kingdom of God and healing those who need to be cured, Jesus takes five loaves and two fish, bless them, breaks them and gives them to the disciples to distribute to the crowd. These actions call to mind his institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.

          From these readings, we see that the Eucharist is far more than a celebratory meal during which we hear about the Kingdom of God and give thanks for the salvific work that Jesus Christ performed for us on the cross. It is a participation in Christ’s redemptive work, in which the bread and wine are taken up, along with our works and prayers, to be transformed into the body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ. His body is blessed and broken for us and given to us to share, so that we might be blessed and broken for others, becoming what we receive and proclaiming the death and resurrection of Christ until he comes again in glory. Jesus makes a gift of himself to us. We are Eucharistic People!