Gospel Reflection

Luke 9:11-17

Some of the Church’s feast days have their origin in the earliest centuries, such as the feast of Easter or of the Epiphany. Others arose in the Middle Ages or the beginning of the modern era. Still others are of recent institution, such as the feast of St Joseph the Worker, or Divine Mercy Sunday. The feast of Corpus Christi was established in 1264 by Pope Urban IV as it was called for by a series of events and persons that gave spiritual insight into the Church’s greatest gift and sacrament—the Holy Eucharist. The texts of many of the best-known Latin Eucharistic hymns, such as the “Tantum ergo” and the “Lauda Sion” were written by St. Thomas Aquinas to fittingly celebrate this great feast. And while many parts of the world celebrate this day with great pomp and processions -- in Melbourne this year the procession will go from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral to Federation Square - the most important procession is that of Rome where the Holy Father celebrates Mass at St. John Lateran and then  processes with the Blessed Sacrament to the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

While Holy Thursday recalls Our Lord’s instituting of the Eucharist in the context of the Last Supper and as memorial of his Passion which was to take place the following day, the feast of Corpus Christi celebrates Jesus’ continuing real presence in the Church and in our lives through the preservation of Eucharistic hosts in the Tabernacles of our churches. Of all the seven sacraments, the Eucharist is the one that is meant to play the greatest part in development as Christian men and women. Whereas the other sacraments are seen to be “actions” of Christ, giving us grace and help specific to some stage of our lives or role we are to take on, the Eucharist is Jesus himself strengthening and renewing us as often as we receive him. It is Jesus who fulfils his word: “I am with you all days, even until the end of the world.” He is there under the appearance of bread, the sacred host, that we consume in holy communion. He is there waiting for us in the Tabernacle of a church or chapel near our home, or on our way to work or study or the shops, or in the church where we attend Mass on Sundays and perhaps other days of the week.
 
In the earlier stages of development of the Church in Australia, there was effort on the part of bishops in some of the major cities to establish churches close enough to each other that any person could reach one of them walking from their home within the space of ten or twenty minutes. One can notice this, for instance, in the older parts of the city of  Melbourne. There are some areas of urban Australia where one can count numerous tabernacles within a square kilometre. We can see this as the influence of the Holy Spirit who wishes not only to bring us closer to Christ but bring Christ to a place close to us.
 
Do we sufficiently appreciate this “availability” of Our Lord? Do we see it for what it is, an opportunity to approach him, even in the physical sense, much as we would seek out any other friend or family member. Do we really treat Our Lord as that greatest and best of friends, whose company we desire and look forward to? Do we understand that he is prepared to comfort and counsel us during those special visits we make?
 
We cannot really say that Christ is far away, hiding in another universe. The problem is that we ourselves may tend to stay far away, through not seeking him in prayer, or by never spending some time with him in quiet company, especially there where he is present both as God and man—the Tabernacle of a nearby church.