English EspaƱol Mary Immaculate
Catholic Church / Pacoima, CA

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus

This is my body; this is my blood.

Jesus has become Eucharist as a sign of communion and fraternity. The Joy, however, is the Heart on this day because we celebrate the feast of “Corpus Christi” as Jesus present in the Eucharistic bread.

Hands of priest holding up the Eucharist

Jesus Christ, at the last supper, chose the signs of bread and wine, so common at feasts in the land of Jesus. In those signs, he will remain among us: so that we understand that we are all invited to the banquet of the Lord. Since then, the Eucharist is the great Treasure of the Church because it is Jesus himself who is still present and walking with his people.

Christians say that the Eucharist is the “Source and summit of the life of the Church.” It is “Source” because everything is born of Jesus, his word, and his example; and it is “culminating” because everything leads to the Lord. The preaching of the word, the sacraments, the pastoral services, the help services, the processions and prayers … everything is born of Christ and leads to Christ.

The best way to recognize Jesus in the Eucharistic species of bread and wine is by communicating and being truly living members of his body, Christians of sincere faith. If the Lord has given his body and blood, we must also give our body and our blood: our life, for the sake of our brothers.

Readings for the Week

Monday:
Vigil: Jer 1:4-10; Ps 71:1-6, 15, 17; 1 Pt 1:8-12; Lk 1:5-17
Day: Is 49:1-6; Ps 139:1-3, 13-15; Acts 13:22-26; Lk 1:57-66, 80
Tuesday: Gn 13:2, 5-18; Ps 15:2-4ab, 5; Mt 7:6, 12- 14
Wednesday: Gn 15:1-12, 17-18; Ps 105:1-4, 6-9; Mt 7:15-20
Thursday Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 [6b-12, 15-16]; Ps 106:1b-5; Mt 7:21-29
Friday: Ez 34:11-16; Ps 23:1-6; Rom 5:5b-11; Lk 15:3-7
Saturday:
Vigil: Acts 3:1-10; Ps 19:2-5; Gal 1:11-20; Jn 21:15-19
Day: Acts 12:1-11; Ps 34:2-9; 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18; Mt 16:13-19
Sunday: 1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21; Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; Gal 5:1, 13-18; Lk 9:51-62

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