"When we receive the Eucharist, we become living tabernacles.
God has entered our hearts!"
 

Measured by church time, today's liturgical feast is quite young: it dates from the middle of the 13th century. It has been given many names over the centuries: Feast of the Eucharist, Feast of the Most Blessed Sacrament and Corpus Christi, "The Body of Christ". In France, it is still commonly called La Fete Dieu, meaning "The Feast of God."

People during the middle ages wanted a joyful day to reflect upon and celebrate Christ's gift of the Eucharist. There was also a strong desire among the faithful to see the Blessed Sacrament at a time in church history when many did not receive Holy Communion at Mass. Processions on this day, through the streets of villages and cities, were common. The Eucharist would be carried by the priest under a canopy with the people joining in the procession. These processions still take place in Latin America, Europe, and within many communities in North America.

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ invites us to reflect upon Christ's gift of himself in the Eucharist. This day certainly remains out-ward looking. We are invited to reflect on how we carry the Mass into our everyday lives. How do we bring the presence of Christ into the streets, homes, and workplaces of our everyday living?

Today we pray that we will become what we eat, the Body of Christ, and go forth to feed the hungers of the world.