The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The assigned readings are Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:11-15; and Mark 14:2-16, 22-26. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 116 (Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Psalm 116: I Will Take the Cup of Salvation (Mark Haas)

The Gospel reading is as follows:

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there."

The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body."

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: Body and Blood of Christ (June 3, 2018)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Body and Blood Of Jesus Christ (June 3, 2018)

Community in Mission: Unless - A Homily for Corpus Christi (2 JUN 18)

The Deacon's Bench: In smallness there is greatness: Homily for June 3, 2018, Corpus Christi (2 JUN 18)

The Sacred Page: Scandal of Divine Intimacy: The Readings for Corpus Christi (2 JUN 18)

The Sacred Page: Corpus Christi (The Mass Readings Explained) (28 MAY 18)

St. Paul Center: Blood of the Covenant: Scott Hahn Reflects on Corpus Christi

Father George William Rutler Homilies: 2018-06-03 - Corpus Christi

Word on Fire: The Ultimate Blood Sacrifice (Solemnities * Corpus Christi)

Spirituality of the Readings: Indelicate Question (The Body and Blood of Christ) 

In Exile: Christ Still Has Human Flesh (The Body and Blood of Christ)

Let the Scriptures Speak: The Blood of the Covenant (The Body and Blood of Christ)

The Word Encountered: An Embodied God (The Body and Blood of Christ)

Historical Cultural Context: The Meaning of a Meal (The Body and Blood of Christ)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by John Chrysostom (The Body and Blood of Christ)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings You give Your people as they age.

Msgr. Pope on a Biblical Meditation on Aging

"Last week in the Office of Readings we concluded the Book of Ecclesiastes. One of the more beautiful passages in the Old Testament is the 12th Chapter of Ecclesiastes. It is a melancholy but soulful meditation on old age. Its poetic imagery is masterful, as it draws from the increasingly difficult effects of old age such as hearing loss, fading eyesight, difficulty walking, digestive issues, and even gray hair."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on this chapter from Ecclesiastes, which he calls a "sad but powerfully beautiful description of old age."

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: A Biblical Meditation on Aging (29 MAY 18)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"The Eucharist gives us the strength to produce the fruits of good works, and to live true Christian lives." - Pope Francis

The Seekers: "I'll Never Find Another You"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of The Seekers presenting "I'll Never Find Another You":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Yourself in the Eucharist.

Pope Francis on the Eucharist and the Church's Mission

"During a brief day trip to two small Italian cities, Pope Francis stressed the centrality of the Eucharist in the life and actions of the Church, saying without Christ's love and self-sacrifice, everything would be done in vanity, since everything Jesus did was for others.

"'The Eucharist is not a beautiful rite, but it is the most intimate, the most concrete, the most surprising communion that one can imagine with God: a communion of love so real that it takes on the form of eating,' the Pope said April 20. . . .

"In his homily, Francis said whoever receives the Eucharist takes on the face and mentality of the Lord, who is the Bread that was broken for us. And this Bread, he said, does not 'rise with pride,' but is given to others.

"People who receive the Eucharist, he said, 'cease to live for themselves, for their own success, to have something or to become someone, but they live for Jesus, as Jesus, which is for others.'"

A recent National Catholic Register article reported on Pope Francis' message on this trip.

To access the complete National Catholic Register report, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Pope: Without the Eucharist, Every Effort of the Church Is Vain (20 APR 18)

Reflection Starter from Albert Einstein

"No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong." - Albert Einstein

Holy Father's Prayer Intention for June

The Holy Father's prayer intention for June is:

Universal Intention (Social Networks): "That social networks may work towards that inclusiveness which respects others for their difference."

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the grace to be able to read.

A TV Angel’s Blessings

In my previous column, I wrote about my interview with actress (Touched By An Angel) and producer (“The Bible" mini-series) Roma Downey about her new memoir Box of Butterflies: Discovering the Unexpected Blessings All Around Us. Over the course of a life devoted to God, Roma has developed habits that help her appreciate her blessings and share them with others. Consider this ritual Roma shared: "I know this might sound really simple, but sometimes it's the simple that can be the most helpful. Every time I wash my hands, I remember to say, 'Thank You, God. Thank You for my blessings,' as the water hits my hands from the faucet." The stresses of an ordinary day can take her out of that sense of gratitude, but it returns with the next handwashing. That habit, she said, "has made such a difference in my life."

Another powerful tool Roma is using to spread God's light is the website Lightworkers.com. She said, "We are a digital company creating video and editorial content celebrating the good in our world. , , One of my favorite quotes, Tony, is that it's better to light a candle than curse the darkness. I know you know that one. That's our mantra at Light Workers . . . We can't be overwhelmed by the enormity of heartache. We have to do something. And people have been loving it . . . because I think people respond to story. I'm not a preacher, and my intention is not to preach. My intention is, through story, to see how people's lives can be changed with grace."

With the release of Box of Butterflies, Roma hopes that her stories and reflections make a difference to readers. Having grown up in Ireland during a time of division between Catholics and Protestants, she hopes to serve as an instrument of peace during this time of division in the U.S. So how did she escape becoming swept up in the hate she witnessed during her youth?

She said, "My father was an extraordinary man, and he always emphasized the need to treat people the way you would want to be treated, with love and respect, and to have tolerance. Even though we may have had different opinions in our community, that clearly violence and hatred wasn't the answer. I grew up in a terribly segregated time in the city of Derry. Protestants called it Londonderry, and Catholics called it Derry. Over the course of the height of the violence there, Protestant people moved to one side of the river, and we Catholics lived on the other. Never the twain did meet . . . I probably was into my middle teens before I knowingly hung out with a Protestant."

As time passed, life and attitudes began to change, and therein is a lesson from which all Americans can learn. Roma said, "It's with great pride and gratitude that when I visit Derry, you see a community that has healed and managed to reach out across that river to each other. Now, there's a walking bridge, which is aptly called the peace bridge, and there's a natural flow of the community from one side to the other. I'm all about trying to build bridges where we can and how we can, because I have seen firsthand how that can drive society apart. It's a fragmented time that we're living in. There seems to be so much hurt and fear and suspicion. We hope and pray that people will start recognizing that we all belong to each other."

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from Judy Garland

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." - Judy Garland