Corpus Christi

Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. (Hebrews 9:15).

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. How many people have had the experience of being invited to dinner to meet your significant other’s parents? It’s an emotionally charged experience filled with excitement but also anxiety and apprehension. It’s also a sign of real commitment. I mean – why put yourself through that experience if you’re not going to stick around?

Hollywood loves all the drama around this most important relationship event. Maybe you’ve seen the movie Meet The Parents (2000) with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. I think I’m showing my age, but it’s a theme that comes up over and over again on the big screen and the little screen. Right?

Once you move beyond the drama of that all-important first meeting, as your relationship with your significant other or spouse develops, you both begin to incorporate some of your respective family traditions and customs into your lives. Eventually you start to form some new family traditions.

Our deepening commitment to each other, through Christian marriage for example, changes us. Now, substitute the language of the church. There is an encounter that leads to transformation.

In today’s Gospel account from Mark, we observe a sacred Passover meal. The disciples do not seem anxious at all. It’s clear that they still don’t fully understand what Jesus is saying to them. But Jesus pushes forward.

He takes the bread, blesses and breaks it, then says, “Take it; this is my body” (Mark 14:22). Then he does the same with the cup. He gives thanks, shares it with them and then says, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many” (Mark 14:23-24).

Of course, we understand this to be the institution of the Eucharist. But notice what Jesus says as he blesses the cup. He says, “This is my blood of the covenant…” (Mark 14:24).
Matthew (26:28), Luke (22:20) and St. Paul (1 Corinthians 11:25) describe this as the blood of the new covenant. What does this mean?

Covenant is a solemn promise and it’s characterized by obligations and a sign. For the Jewish people, we know that circumcision was an individual sign of the covenant with Abraham. At the covenant with Moses, they kept circumcision as an individual sign, but they added keeping holy the Sabbath as a communal sign.

At the Last Supper, Jesus announces the new covenant that is actualized by his death to fulfill what he says in today’s Gospel, that his blood “will be shed for many” (Mark 14:24). The language he uses indicates the violence of his death. <1>

What is the promise of the new covenant offered to us? By accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God offers us eternal life and the Kingdom of God.

What are the signs of this new covenant? The Eucharist is at the core of the new covenant. Participation in the Eucharist means baptism and being part of the community – of the Church.

How do we live this new covenant? Well, Jesus gave us the Great Commandment and so that we would understand what he meant, he said it in two ways: we must love God with our whole mind and heart and being, and we should love or neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:28-34).

Like that first time when we met the parents, we should be transformed by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and becoming a disciple of Jesus. If you believe – I mean if you really believe that what you receive in the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus – it should change you! It should change me!

Now, how many people do you think have been exposed to the Eucharist and heard the Good News of Jesus Christ from the Last Supper to today? Through the great evangelization of the apostles and early disciples, the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the migration of peoples, the printing press, colonialism, modern technology, would it be fair to suggest that millions – perhaps hundreds of millions of people (maybe billions) have been exposed to the Eucharist and heard the Good News?

I don’t think that’s unrealistic. Isn’t interesting that we sit here hundreds of millions of people removed from the Last Supper, and yet there’s still so much poverty in the world? Human trafficking is happening even in our own country! Slavery still exists. Corrupt business practices exploit the poor and middle class.

According to data collected by the Social Justice Resource Center, 4.6 billion people around the world live in poverty. About 2.1 billion people suffer malnutrition and 1 billion people don’t have access to safe drinking water. In 1970, the U.S. had the highest high school graduation rate in the world. Today, the U.S. ranks 23rd. The United Nations Human Rights Council estimates that 40 million men, women and children around the world live in slavery today. <2>

We can’t say “It’s not my fault!” Our governments and our businesses are at the heart of institutional sin. We elect people to office who design laws and policies which might discriminate against people in our own country and around the world. What about big business? How do big online retailers and big box stores bring us the lowest priced goods? Are they paying a living wage to our neighbors who work there? Are they paying a fair price for the goods they sell to us? Do we do business with big banks that use deceptive lending practices that exploit people, exclude people of color or take advantage of third world countries?

How is it that so many of us allow ourselves to be changed by the experience of meeting the parents for dinner, and yet so many “Christians” are not changed by the experience at the Eucharistic table?

Maybe it’s because we’re trapped by the lures of this world. We somehow get stuck on the hamster wheel and run and run and run as fast as we can, and yet so many live unfulfilled lives.

My brothers and sisters, I have Good News! Jesus Christ came to liberate us from the empty promises of this world! That’s why the Last Supper was celebrated at Passover. We’re talking about a new exodus! Just as Moses led the Israelites to life and freedom, so too will Jesus lead us to new life and freedom!

But Jesus will not force himself on anyone. Jesus offers liberation, but God gives you and I a choice. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. But today isn’t a box we check off on our holy roller disco cards! The Eucharist demands a response! Will we continue to live saying, “It’s not my problem” or “I can’t get involved” or “What can I do?” Or will we allow the power of the Eucharist to transform us in love to serve God by serving our neighbors?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, do we extend the reverence and respect we have for Jesus in the Eucharist to everyone we encounter?
Second, what are some ways in our everyday lives where we can be a better neighbor to others in our families, our parish, our town/state/and country?

I think doing our homework will help us live as intentional disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May we all come to know the grace and the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ! In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Help Me. Artist unknown. JPEG.

Notes:
<1> Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm, 323, Kindle.
<2> (See Social Justice Resource Center “Facts and Figures” https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/facts-and-figures/).

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.
4. Wilhelm, Dawn Ottoni. Preaching the Gospel of Mark: Proclaiming the Power of God. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. The mercy seat: 433
2. Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice: 613-14, 1085, 2100
3. Jesus as celebrant of the heavenly liturgy: 662
4. The Holy Eucharist: 790, 1003, 1322-1419
5. The Eucharist and the communion of believers: 805, 950, 2181-2, 2637, 2845
6. Christians and Jews both celebrate Passover: 1096
7. The Eucharist as spiritual food: 1212, 1275, 1436, 2837

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060621.cfm
Lectionary: 168

Reading 1
Exodus 24:3-8
When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the LORD has told us.” Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”

Responsorial
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18
R. (13) I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. or: R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. or: R. Alleluia.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. or: R. Alleluia.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
Hebrew 9:11-15
Brothers and sisters: When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

Alleluia
John 6:51
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
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, “Where 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 off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. 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, and 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 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.

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