June 14, 2009 Corpus Christi Ex. 24:3-8; Heb. 9:11-15; Mk. 14:12-16, 22-26 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings: http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/061409.shtml                 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     The feast of Corpus Christi celebrates in joyful remembrance that He who gave Himself for us on the Cross, rose from the dead, and Ascended into heaven to be with the Father, is really here for us - Body and Blood - in the Eucharist we celebrate.    The reading from Exodus records the ceremony by which the people of Israel were hallowed to the Lord -- by which they ratified and accepted the Covenant and the Commandments which they were offered.  By the blood of the sacrificed oxen, they were made Sons and Daughters of the Covenant, Sons and Daughters of the Lord's Commandment. For us, the Blood of the pure victim – the Lamb of God, he who takes away the sins of the world - redeems us from sin, and protects us from the plagues of the Devil, and the Blood offered in the Liturgy binds us ever tighter to that same Lord who made the covenant with Moses and Israel.   In today's Epistle, St. Paul refers to the passage from Exodus when he says:  "For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. By blood, Israel was brought into the Old Covenant, by Blood, we are brought into the New.   This is what the whole, undivided Church has believed from Apostolic times, and still believes today.  In the Eucharist -- "Corpus Christi" -- the Body of Christ -- we are united as a people with our Lord and God, and through Him, and through the Holy Spirit, to the Father Almighty. We are heirs of the Covenant of Israel by being heirs, with Christ, of the New Covenant, written in His Blood.   It always amazes me how people can call themselves "Christians", and refuse to believe Jesus plain words about His Body and Blood, how they can deliberately cut themselves off from the New Covenant in His Blood. Let us pray that all those who call themselves Christians will realize the reality and actuality of His presence, and bring themselves back to Him.     <<   Previous: Holy Trinity  |   Next: 12th Sunday of the Year     Go Back to SERMONS (Year B)