Date: Sunday, June 07, 2015
Today is the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Corpus Christi. It is also First Holy Communion at Annunciation. Girls and boys -- can you tell me your favorite meal with your family? Mac & cheese! A special meal at home with your family gives us a better sense of what takes place at the Last Supper – the night before Jesus dies on the cross. It is Passover when Jewish people enjoy a special meal of lamb, vegetables and wine recalling all the wonderful things God does for them. At this special dinner with his disciples, Jesus takes bread, blesses and breaks it, gives it to his friends saying: “This is my body.” Then Jesus takes a cup of wine, blesses it and gives it to his friends saying: “This is my blood.” Jesus is saying: “I am bread for you.” “I am wine for you.” We believe Jesus is present in the bread and wine, his body and blood, but it taste like bread and wine. The bread and wine we receive is his very life. It is the bread and wine of friendship and suffering, of love and forgiveness. The bread and wines has a memory of the last supper and of Jesus dying on the cross. The bread and wine has a promise of Jesus always being with us until the end of time. We taste the kingdom of Heaven. Boys and girls -- can you tell me when we first become part of God’s family, brothers and sisters in Christ? Yes – baptism! Today we can renew our baptismal promises and get ready to receive Jesus in Holy Communion – God’s comfort food for us disciples who follow Jesus.