This weekend’s feast of Corpus Christi brings a sharper focus on the Real Presence of God in the world, and the offer of Communion with Him in a way that is real, especially so in the light of the International Eucharistic Congress, starting in Dublin today. What a mind blower for believer and unbeliever alike! to say we believe – or to say we don’t.
No concept of God, or formulation of an idea surrounding Him, can be pushed to the limited terminus of human meaning, without falling apart. The Body of Christ (Corpus Christi) is the way we have to express a ‘faith moment’ that’s so significant and so very special.
For one individual to stand before another – for one to hold up a wafer that has all the properties of unleavened bread and say ‘This is the Body of Christ’ – and for the other person to say ‘Amen’ (literally meaning ‘so-be-it’) is indeed a Faith moment. In that moment two Human Beings are confronted by the truth of their lives: Human Beings, created by God, revealed by Jesus Christ. To engage in that mystery by eating and drinking in a way that guarantees us communion with Him ‘seems’ preposterous. But we base our belief on the Scripture texts: ‘This is my body’, ‘This is my Blood’, ‘Do this in memory of me’ – even though it can be hugely challenging for all of us when we try to ‘get our heads around it’.
This is the foundation on which today’s Feast is based and on which the truth of Communion is pledged. This is the challenge for believer and unbeliever alike to be honest in their response to it.
Let’s never forget the wise ‘quip’ that suggests ‘maybe its our heads that are in the way too often’!!! The Eucharistic theme for today as well as this year’s Eucharistic Conference is ‘Communion with Christ and with one another’.
With that in mind and as is often the case:
sometimes children can express profound truths in
more spontaneous ways than adults can,, by not
letting their heads get in the way.
Here in Cabinteely to help us as adults think about
this truth at this time – have a look around the
walls of the Church today. In those posters –
especially in the explanation in the very large one
at the back of the Church, you can see how such
lofty ideals are translated so naturally in the
minds, the thinking and the lives of children.
About the cubes you see there: On each of the 6
faces of each cube, a motto is displayed, each one
based on words from the Gospel.
The cube was rolled in the childrens’ classes, they
read the phrase on top, and agreed to share some
of the ways they could live the phrases they read.
Each story merits reading with our thanks and
respect. ‘Love is an“art”, something we learn’.
These stories can teach us a lot!
Sincere thanks to those who organized them.
AO’N