[Pearls Ep. 124: Corpus Christi
This Sunday we celebrate the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (traditionally known as the Feast of Corpus Christi).
In this week’s Pearls episode we look closer at Christ’s most holy body and blood. We first turn to Fr. John Hardon for some perspective. And then we turn to the prayer attributed to St. Ignatius – the Anima Christi – for both mystical and very practical considerations (particularly how we look to Christ’s body and blood to “save” and “inebriate” us).
For today we look to Christ’s body. The late, great Fr. Hardon points us to an ancient Coptic prayer:
“Amen, Amen, Amen. I believe, I believe, I believe and confess to the last breath that this is the life-giving flesh that Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, took from our lady, the lady of us all, the holy Theotokos, Saint Mary.
He made it One with His divinity without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration. He confessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate.
He gave it up for us upon the holy wood of the cross, of His own will, for us all. Truly I believe that His divinity parted not from His humanity for a single moment, nor a twinkling of an eye.
Given for us for salvation, remission of sins, and eternal life to those who partake of Him. I believe, I believe, I believe that this is true. Amen.”
These ancient prayers are so beautiful – they hold nothing back. And here’s what Fr. John Hardon has to say about this:
“Strange as it may sound, when we believe in the Real Presence, we believe in things twice unseen. We see only what looks like bread and wine, tastes and smells like bread and wine, and yet we are to believe that behind these physical appearances is a man. Faith number one. And we are further to believe that behind the unseen man is God. Faith number two.”
There are two miraculous presences in the Eucharist – Christ the man, and Christ the God.
The Eucharist is the man who walked along the shore. It is the man who accepted water from the woman at the well. It is the man who sweat drops of blood in the garden before going to his death.
And the Eucharist is God who healed the blind man. It is God who raised Lazarus from the dead. And it is God who rose Himself on the third day.
Tomorrow we’ll turn to the precious blood of Christ.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life