“In order to show you that not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3
We’re very familiar with the nourishment which comes in the form of food and water, which sustains the human body. However, food and water don’t sustain the human soul, but just like the human body, if we don’t feed it, don’t exercise it, and don’t protect it, the soul withers away and dies. Here then is this soul, this reality that gives life to the body and is essential to our human identity and dignity, the immortal reality that remains after the body dies, our spiritual essence, our very being, and many times, we simply take it for granted or don’t care for it like we care for our human body. We don’t realize that by not feeding, exercising, and protecting our soul in this life, we risk the gift of eternal life. But in his wisdom, the Lord provides for us, giving us in this life the sustenance that we need to sustain and preserve the grace of our souls. There’s prayer, worship, Mass, Scripture, and above all the sacraments. And so, today, the Church commemorates the Sacrament which Jesus instituted during the Last Supper with the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This is a joyful celebration of the Eucharist, the food that God himself provides, emphasizing Christ’s sacramental presence in the Church.
Even though it’s considered a Sacrament of Initiation, along with anointing and penance, the Eucharist is also a Sacrament of Healing for it provides us with the healing presence of Christ in our lives. After all, the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Eucharist brings about spiritual healing; it restores lost strength, strengthens our charity which tends to be weakened in daily lives, and this living charity wipes away venial sins. “By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him.” This then is the healing gift that we remember today – a healing not just for ourselves but for those most in need.
Finally, as we continue to prepare for the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and pray for healing in our nation, this week, we pray that the Lord’s mercy may come upon those in our nation that have been victims of violence, that they may find healing in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And may we also remember that there is no need or no place for violence in our world. May we continue to promote peace and be instruments of God’s peace – something to remember when we receive the Lord through this amazing, loving Sacrament of the Eucharist – his Most Holy Body and Blood.
In Christ
Fr Robert