Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

We are so grateful for all of Fr. Michael Schleupner’s contributions to our blog. Fr. Michael will be with us for our August Directed Retreat and we look forward to seeing him! Many of us are missing our time at church and receiving communion. While we wait for the day when those doors open again, let’s contemplate what it will mean to us.

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

The food that Jesus gave us at the Last Supper – the Eucharist – works differently from ordinary food. For example, plants absorb nutrients from the soil and transform them into plant cells. The nutrients become an integral part of the plant. We human beings eat broccoli and other vegetables, chicken and other proteins, spaghetti and other carbs and transform all of this into our body cells. All of this nutrition becomes an integral part of our human body.

This is how the world of nature works.

The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, supernatural food, works in reverse. When we eat this spiritual food, we do not transform it into our own body. Instead, this food transforms us into the Body of Christ.

Little by little, it makes us into Christ-like persons.

We, of course, have to do our part to allow this to happen. I especially recommend one thing for us to do. When we are about to receive Communion and say “Amen” to the words “The Body of Christ,” let’s make sure that we mean what we say.

Let’s make sure that we mean: “Yes, I believe this is the Body of Christ, and I want to receive Christ who is present here.”

And even more!

“Yes, I believe this is the sacramental Body of Christ, and I want this to transform me into the living Body of Christ.”

Being aware and intentional about the way we receive Communion – this will allow the food that Jesus offers to transform us. It will make us more like Christ, more like God.

This sacramental Body of Christ will make us the living Body of Christ on this earth.

~ Father Michael Schleupner

If you’d like to subscribe to Fr. Michael’s “Inbox Inspirations” emails with reflections like this, please click here.