Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
By creating man with a need for food, God established nutrition as the sustenance of natural life. This reality is an image of the life of grace, which is sustained by a heavenly food: the Eucharist.
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First Reading – Gn 14:18-20
In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4 (R.4b)
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool.” R.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.” R.
“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” R.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” R.
Second Reading – 1 Cor 11:23-26
Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
Gospel – Lk 9:11b-17
Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.
Featured Saints
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi takes precedence over the Optional memorials of : St. John Fisher, bishop, and St. Thomas More, martyrs (+1535). St. John Fisher was bishop of Rochester, made cardinal during his imprisonment, by Pope St. Pius V. Thomas More was an Oxford scholar, an incorruptible judge and finally Lord Chancellor. For their refusal to support Henry VIII’s remarriage and Act of Supremacy, both were beheaded.
Also:
St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop (†431). Of a noble Roman family, he practised law, and became governor of the Italian province of Campania. He was converted under the influence of St. Ambrose and St. Augustine. Abandoning the world, he embraced the hermetical life, and was ordained a priest and eventually made Bishop of Nola.
St. Nicetas (†c. 414). Bishop of Remesiana, in present-day Serbia, he evangelized the barbarians, transforming them into the sheep of Christ, and led them to the peaceful fold. St. Paulinus of Nola eulogized him for his evangelization of the barbarians.
St. Eusebius of Samosata, bishop and martyr (†379). He was killed while visiting the faithful in Dülük, Turkey, when a roof tile thrown by an Arian woman struck him on the head.
St. Flavius Clemens, martyr (†96). Roman Consul martyred for refusing to adore pagan gods during the Domitian persecution.
Blessed Innocent V, Pope (†1276). After having received the Dominican habit and taught theology in Paris, he was appointed Bishop of Lyon and later elected Pope. During his four-month pontificate he strove to bring peace to Italy and unite the separated churches to the Roman See.
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