By Father Anthony F. Raso
When my brother and I were little boys, my parents took us to Manhattan one Sunday afternoon to show us St. Francis Church, one of the most famous and beautiful churches in the city. It was, sure enough, about as impressive as a church could be.
As young as the two of us were, it really captured our imagination.
Of course, we were still little boys, and so at the end of the trip, we visited the gift shop and were allowed to pick one item each. The item I picked is still with me here at Our Lady of Guadalupe Rectory in the bookcase. I have never let go of it, and I never will.
What is it? A comic book!
It is called “The Life of Jesus,” and it runs about 75 pages, beautifully illustrated and wonderfully crafted. Actually, it is a wonder that I still have it because it’s not in such good shape, having been read by me about a hundred times through the years, but I still have it and I cherish it. All of the Gospel stories are there, including the one we have today on this Feast of Corpus Christi. This one has a clever twist in its illustration that caught my imagination then and still has a hold on me now: In that illustration, Jesus tells His Apostles to share the five loaves and two fishes with the crowd, and they do so with some real doubt showing on their faces.
At the end, they gather the “leftovers,” filling 12 baskets, and scratch their heads in wonder. “What happened?” they seem to be saying. “How’d He do that?”
It is all a thorough mystery to them, at least at that point, before, during and after the miracle. However, they trusted Him, even though they didn’t understand what He did, and that wonderful panel in the comic book illustrates perfectly what this beautiful Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is really all about.
Bound Together
The Eucharist is what brings us all together, binding us together to the Lord and to one another. As St. Paul teaches in the second reading today, every time, Sunday after Sunday, holy day after holy day, one weekday after another, that we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes again.
The Body and Blood of Christ is not just some lovely symbol that we can admire from afar, but a powerful light that we must take within our hearts and then carry out of the doors of the church to a world that it still too much lost in the dark.
This is a journey that we must begin today, whether we are ready or not. As that unforgettable panel in my old and beloved comic book taught me, we just may, like those Apostles, be standing there, scratching our heads and wondering how God does the things He does.
We, like those Apostles, should step in and pass out those loaves and fishes – and chalices – anyway because we are called to serve Him in faith, and then proceed in hope that we will be wiser and better apostles tomorrow. And we will be, no doubt about it.
The first reading today tells us about yet another servant of God, who may not have understood everything God was doing, but understood enough to feel the presence of God in His servant Abraham.
We honor Melchizedek today, and every time we use the first Eucharistic Prayer, not because he immediately left everything behind and became a Jew, but because right where he was and remaining who he was, he felt the Light of God in the person of Abraham and was not silent in saying so. He saw that Light and proclaimed his faith, not on some undetermined tomorrow, but right out loud on that day.
This is what we are called upon to do in the Light of this bright, shining, beautiful feast. If we wait until we think we are “ready” to serve our Eucharistic Lord, we’ll probably forever put off taking that first step forward.
On the other hand, Abraham had a lot of questions for God, but he stepped forward anyway. Melchizedek acted on instinct and proclaimed the goodness of Abraham. St. Paul was living in mortal danger when he taught the Corinthians, but he was sure of the Lord before he was sure of himself.
Sure Enough of Jesus
Peter, Andrew, James, John and all the rest stood there scratching their heads while staring at those 12 baskets, but they took the five loaves and two fishes and handed them out anyway. They may not have been sure what they were doing, but they were sure of Jesus and that was enough for them.
It must be enough for us too. As soon as we’re through scratching our heads in wonder, we have to pick up the Light of the Body and Blood of Christ and change the world.
One way to do that, if you are a parent, is to take your children to see a beautiful church one Sunday afternoon and visit the gift shop on the way out.
Trust me: It will change their lives. And yours too.
Readings Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Genesis 14: 18-20
Psalm 110: 1, 2, 3, 4
1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
Luke 9: 11B-17
Father Anthony F. Raso is the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Dyker Heights.
