Solemnity of Corpus Christi
/Sollemnitas Corpus Christi
Dt. 8:2-3, 14b-16a; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; Jn. 6:51-58
11 June 2023
Today is our annual observance of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, also called by the Latin name “Corpus Christi.” Our faith in the Holy Eucharist is one of the most essential and defining doctrines we hold as Catholics. We believe, without equivocation or adopting the language of mere symbolism, that the Holy Eucharist is the living Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. It is the Lord’s Real Presence, whole and complete, in both the form of bread and wine, and even in the smallest fragments of particle or droplet. It is the presence of the Lord given to us in sacramental form, by which we may be nourished by this gift when we receive it worthily in the state of grace. We believe that the bread and wine at Holy Mass are changed in their substance. They cease to be the substance of bread and wine, though the appearances remain unchanged, and become the substance of the Body and Blood of the Lord. We believe this change of substance takes place by God and His power. We believe this gift is made present to us only within the one true Church, established by the Lord and which responds to his command, “Do this in memory of me”, by using the words of consecration from the Last Supper and spoken by the ordained priest who shares in the one and same priesthood of the Eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ.
That’s the quick summary of our catholic faith in the Holy Eucharist. With that being said, I want to speak today about the Eucharistic Procession, which we will experience at the conclusion of the Holy Mass. A few of you have asked me, “What is this for? Why are we doing this?” That question tells me that I need to say “mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” because it’s an indication there has been some dereliction of duty on my part as Pastor. You see, while it is not obligatory, it is customary and desirable that a procession takes place on Corpus Christi at the end of Mass as a way of offering more public witness to our faith in the Holy Eucharist, and doing so precisely outside of these walls. We haven’t done this before on the Sunday observance of Corpus Christi (and honestly most parishes don’t do a procession) because, up until now, I have been unable to imagine how I would fit this extra thing into a tight Sunday Mass schedule. Like many a traditional thing in the past 50 or so years the outdoor procession has been dropped or almost entirely disappeared. Is our faith stronger for that? Is our Church better off for that? It sure doesn’t seem so. In fact, decades now of studies report that many a catholic does not know or does not properly express the truth of our Catholic faith in the Holy Eucharist. A Eucharistic Procession might aid the formation of our membership to have proper Catholic faith. And, in fact, one can schedule a procession just about any time of year. Perhaps we should do more of this throughout the year. Perhaps we’ll see a stronger Church in part because of this devotion. Perhaps we’ll see a world more converted too.
There are two ideas I’d like to highlight about the importance of a Eucharistic Procession. Since we literally move together outside of the church in a procession, one can’t help but grasp the notion that we disciples are on a larger mission. We are not disciples for ourselves only. We are not to view our life as Christians as simply like a club membership lived conveniently packaged inside these walls. Rather, we are on mission moving through this world as the Lord’s witnesses and we do so with his presence as our King. On a day of procession, as the border dissolves between our coming to Mass within these walls and our more public walking outside with the Lord’s Real Presence, we can’t help but wake up to the fact that our duty in the secular realm is to organize our world and our affairs in greater harmony with God’s Kingdom. We travel in a procession, as we journey through life, and we engage in the larger journey to the fullness of God’s Kingdom. As we go outside in procession it serves as a reminder of the call to proclaim the Gospel and to live for Christ outside of the church walls too, in the public square.
And the public square is quite a battle ground, isn’t it?! Have we become any better off these past many decades by ceding ground to secular forces and accommodating their claims by our silence that faith is purely personal and private and should be kept out of the public square? Such claims are false both from a Gospel perspective and even a constitutional perspective. The Lord says you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (cf. Mt. 5:13-14). Employing those images, he goes on to say that a “city set on a hill cannot be hidden,” and that light must be allowed to “shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5:14-16). And secularists and even some Christians say we should keep our faith private? Hogwash! Those would be totally bizarre images for the Lord to use if his idea for disciples – then and now – is that we keep our faith neatly packaged for observance inside these walls only.
Now I assure you that walking outside in June, in Oklahoma, IN VESTMENTS is not the most desirable thing for me. You might echo that sentiment being dressed up for Holy Mass. But consider just one value in this public witness, put into stark contrast by the nature of this feast falling in the month of June, as it typically does. Consider what June has become in the secular world and the displays that are common and becoming ubiquitous around the world. Those who observe secular June go out to march in celebration of disorder, in revelry like that surrounding the idol of the Golden Calf, and in narcissistic lust. We go out in a procession of order, and prayer, and adoration of God. In fact, by the Lord’s design and gift to us, we go out in procession with God Himself and not in idolatry. Yes, how needed is this devotional practice in our time. How much more should we organize such things and go on even longer processions, and in even more public areas!
The second idea I’d like to highlight about the importance of a Eucharistic Procession is that in this act of piety we celebrate that the Lord promised not to leave his Church, not to abandon us, or to leave us orphans (cf. Jn. 14:18). And he has not. He remains with us as he promised, by dwelling within us by the Holy Spirit sent from the Father and the Son. He remains with us by His divine power when we make room for Him in our commitment to prayer. He remains with us by the sacramental grace that resides in us. And He remains with us in the most august Sacrament of the Altar, the Holy Eucharist. He resides in all the tabernacles of the Catholic world. He is here waiting for us to visit him. Can you hear the invitation to commit to a time in our adoration chapel so that you bring life’s concerns and experience that, in fact, you are not an orphan? He is here with us such that we can carry him in procession as a clear experience that He has not left us orphans as we journey through this life, as we seek to be faithful witnesses before hostile forces in the world. Yes, a Eucharistic Procession teaches us these two important things: (1) As disciples we are called to go out on mission to transform our world; and, (2) we do not go out alone. God is with us. He has not left us orphans.
As a foreshadowing for us today, the first reading spoke to us of Moses’ instruction to the people, “Remember how… God, has directed all your journeying in the desert” (Dt. 8:2). With renewed faith, and new zeal, and new excitement for a New Evangelization of the world God loves, and which our Lord came to save, let us go out after worthy reception of Holy Communion to be salt and light and to carry today quite literally the Real Presence of the God of the universe who does not abandon us or leave us orphans!