Dear Friends,
Today is the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (more commonly known by its former name: Corpus Christi Feast). It is a powerful reminder of the why of our Sunday Eucharistic gathering: celebration of the Real Presence of Christ in our midst! It is very easy to think of the presence of Christ limiting it to Holy Communion primarily. But the Church teaches us clearly that there are four ways in which Christ is present in the Eucharist. They are:
1) in the gathering of the people, because “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in their midst;”
2) in the presider of the Mass because every priest is acting “in persona Christi” or in the person of Christ;
3) in the Word proclaimed during Mass because it is God speaking to us about His saving message;
4) and in the Holy Communion because it is the real Presence of Jesus in the sacred species of bread and wine.
May this Feast make us more conscious of His manifold Presence at every Eucharistic celebration and appreciate it more, to participate more consciously.
Corpus Christi feast is also an invitation to reflect on the social dimensions of the Eucharist. It calls on the faithful to recognize Christ in the marginalized and needy and to be nourished by Christ’s body and blood to serve them effectively. This echoes the Vatican II document “Lumen Gentium,” which describes the Eucharist as the “source and summit of the Christian life.” Our Community of St. Matthias is particularly known for our attentiveness to this social dimension of the Eucharist. Our Vincent De Paul Society is the visible face of our commitment and concern for the less fortunate in our midst.
Last week, our parish hosted the annual gathering of all the Social Ministers of various parishes of our Diocese of Metuchen. Maria Hunter, the Diocesan Director of the Office of Parish Social Ministry, organized this as she has been doing for some 25 years. Social ministers from different parishes came for getting to know each other, sharing a meal and their experiences, and for exploring ways and means to help the poor more easily and efficiently. I found that this gathering provided “nourishment” for mind, body, spirit, and ministry!
Bishop Checchio and Mr. Tony Kearns, the Chancellor of the Diocese, were with us to share their thoughts and give us encouragement. It was very encouraging for us all to hear the stories that many social ministers shared about so many individuals receiving help during challenging circumstances in their lives. Our own Vincent De Paul Society leaders shared very touching stories of helping those in need in our area. I wish to thank our Vincent De Paul Society for their very hard work to care for those in desperate need for our help. Thanks to our parishioners who give so generously to this important ministry of social concerns. We are truly living out the social dimension of the Holy Eucharist. We become the Body of Christ, not only when we say Amen while receiving Holy Communion, but also when we accept and care for the larger Body of Christ – the least of our brothers and sisters around us.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal