The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

Mass Readings

• First Reading Exodus 24:3-8
• Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18
• Second Reading Hebrews 9:11-15
• Gospel Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Open the Mass Readings on USCCB.org →

Step Into the Story

At the foot of Sinai Moses builds an altar with twelve pillars, one for each tribe, and splashes half the blood of the sacrifice on the altar and half on the people: “This is the blood of the covenant.” To Israel blood meant life, and sharing it made two parties one family. Hebrews, probably written before 70 A.D., contrasts the high priest’s yearly entry with animal blood and Christ’s entry once for all with His own. Urban IV extended this feast to the whole Church in 1264.

1. 13th c. B.C.Israel’s first Passover
2. c. 20 B.C.Herod begins the Temple
3. c. 18 A.D.Caiaphas becomes high priest
4. 26 A.D.Pilate becomes prefect
5. This week’s scene: c. 30 A.D.Preparing the Passover

Walk through Jerusalem on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the day the Passover lambs are sacrificed. The year is most likely 30 A.D. All afternoon in the Temple courts the Levites chant the Hallel psalms as the priests pass basins of blood toward the altar. By evening the smell of roasting lamb hangs over the whole city. Watch for a man carrying a water jar, an easy signal where hauling water was usually women’s work. Follow him.

Climb to a large upper room, furnished and ready. Recline with the Twelve as the meal goes on. Then see Jesus take a loaf of unleavened bread in His hands and bless it. Be still, and watch.

Encounter the Lord

Sit in the upper room, among the cushions and the lamps of the Passover meal. Jesus takes the bread in His hands and breaks it: “Take it; this is my body.” Then He lifts the cup. The words are new: “my blood of the covenant.”

At Sinai, the blood of animals bound Israel to God. In the upper room and on the Cross, Jesus offers His own Blood and binds you to God in a covenant that cannot be broken. Every Mass makes that covenant present. When you receive Communion, you receive Him, Body, Blood, soul and divinity. St. Ignatius calls it the medicine of immortality. It is the food that makes you live forever.

This week, spend time before the Blessed Sacrament, at adoration or in a quiet church. If your parish has a Corpus Christi procession, walk in it.

Know Your Faith

Source and Summit

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life; in it is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself (CCC 1324). In the Eucharist Christ is present, Body, Blood, soul and divinity, truly, really and substantially (CCC 1374).

The Sacrifice of the New Covenant

The Eucharist makes present the sacrifice of the cross; Christ’s blood is “the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (CCC 1365-1366). The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice (CCC 1367).

Communion and Unity

The Eucharist makes the Church; those who receive it are united more closely to Christ and to one another in one body (CCC 1396). To receive Communion we must be in a state of grace (CCC 1385).

Food for the Journey

Holy Communion preserves, increases and renews the life of grace received at Baptism (CCC 1392). The Eucharist is a pledge of future glory and an anticipation of heaven (CCC 1402-1405).