Fr Bernard writes…
Sunday 23rd June 2019 The Body and Blood of Christ
We have to go back to the 13th century for the origins of the feast of Corpus Christi established by Pope Urban IV and then to the 19th century for the feast of the Precious Blood established by Pope Pius IX. It was only after the 2nd Vatican Council and the revision of the Liturgy that the two were brought together to become The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The second reading gives us the oldest tradition of the Last Supper and in the Gospel we have Luke’s version of the feeding of the five thousand, the only miracle story to be recorded in all four gospels, reminding us of its importance in the collective memory of the first Christians. The immediate context is the return of the Twelve after their first experience of pastoral ministry and Jesus’ invitation to them to come away by themselves. But they are thwarted by the crowds, whom we are told, Jesus welcomed, addressed and cured. Then we have the story which contains four key words, take, bless, break and give, which we hear in every Eucharistic Prayer, giving the story something of a liturgical feel. We might reflect on how Jesus himself was taken, blessed, broken and given in order to give us the gift of his life, his love and himself under the forms of bread and wine, and ask that on this solemnity we may deepen our understanding of, and appreciation for, such great a gift.
This coming Friday, 28th June, the parish celebrates its patronal feast of The Sacred Heart. Mass will be at 7.30pm followed by a shared table in the Parish Centre..
See this week's newsletter for details of other news and events.
