June 10, 2007> 10:37 AM
the Body of our Lord Today is celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, aka, Corpus Christi. We who believe in that direction are called to meditate a bit on the Sacramental gift God has given the Church in the Eucharist. And yes, I am quite convinced that this gift is very Real and very much more than merely an opportunity to have a memorial meal every quarter. I think there's more to be thankful for than that.
I don't mean to go into some large discussion of Eucharistic theology here. I only mean to remind myself and the rest of us, of this great Gift - that the Gift if Jesus Himself. I'll leave you with the Fathers...
"The flesh feeds on the Body and Blood of Christ, that the soul may grow fat on God." - Tertullian
"What seems bread is not bread, though bread by taste; but the Body of Christ. What seems wine is not wine, though taste will have it so; but the Blood of Christ." - St. Cyril of Jerusalem
"The sacrament you receive is made what it is by the Word of Christ. If the word of Elijah had such power as to bring down fire from heaven, shall not the Word of Christ have power to change the nature of the elements?" - St. Ambrose of Milan
"There is one Christ everywhere, complete both in this world and in the other; one body. Though offered in many places, He is but one body so there is but one sacrifice... We offer now what was offered then." - St. John Chrysostom
June 10, 2007
> 10:37 AM
Today is celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, aka, Corpus Christi. We who believe in that direction are called to meditate a bit on the Sacramental gift God has given the Church in the Eucharist. And yes, I am quite convinced that this gift is very Real and very much more than merely an opportunity to have a memorial meal every quarter. I think there's more to be thankful for than that.
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