The Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord

June 09, 2023
Author: Hannah DeVivo

Peace be with you!

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, which is a special time for us to recognize and adore the true presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus in the elements of the Eucharist.

The Body and Blood of Christ in The Eucharist

I wrote about the Holy Eucharist a few weeks ago; you can read the article here! In short, the Eucharist is the true and complete Body and Blood of Jesus. When we receive It, we are receiving God. As He becomes one with us in the most intimate way possible, we are transformed from the inside out. God loves and desires us so much that He made a way to be with us perpetually. Through us, He continues to work miracles in this world. We are called to love others so that He can work through us and draw us into the magnificent story of salvation. He doesn’t need our participation to save souls, but He allows us a part in it anyways.

Members of the Body of Christ

Through our baptism we become united to each other as members of the Body of Christ. When we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, we are also celebrating the community and fellowship that we have with other Christians. It is a time to reflect on the truth that we are not alone. The enemy thrives when he isolates us and makes us feel as though it is us against the world. This could not be farther from the truth; we are part of the biggest, strongest, and most resilient army. We have been shown that we win the battle. It is not a question of “if”, but “when”. As long as we keep this in mind and in our hearts, the enemy is handicapped.

Be Our Defense Against the Wickedness and Snares of the Devil

I once saw a priest who completely changed my perspective on the spiritual battle. He explained that many people have an image of God grappling with the devil. In reality, God is like a huge giant and the devil is a tiny ant. God and the devil are not equal in power. God does not have to exert tremendous energy to defeat him. It is a more accurate picture to imagine Saint Michael the Archangel battling the Devil.

The spiritual battle is indeed very real and should be taken seriously, but it is because God gave us all free will. The devil has power to entice and draw us in. If we choose, we can unite ourselves to the darkness. There is a battle for our souls, but if we unite ourselves to God and cling to Him, we need not fear. The phrase “Be not afraid” is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. If we try as hard as we can each day to allow God to take care of us, we need not fear the enemy. He flees from the mighty Name of Jesus. The Eucharist is one of our biggest means of defense against the darkness. When you feel scared, I encourage you to go to confession; break off any ties with the enemy. Then, encounter our Lord in Holy Communion and receive Him.

Anima Christi

Let’s pray the Anima Christi together!

Soul of Christ, sanctify me. 

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, inebriate me. 

Water from Christ’s side, wash me. 

Passion of Christ, strengthen me. 

O good Jesus, hear me.

Within thy wounds hide me.

Suffer me not to be separated from thee. 

From the malicious enemy defend me.

In the hour of my death call me and bid me come unto thee,

that I may praise thee with thy saints and with thy angels,

forever and ever.

Amen.

Before You Go

How often do you receive the Eucharist?

Do you have any special traditions to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi?

Did you learn anything new in this article?

I would LOVE to hear from you. Send me an email to Catholic-Living@Autom.com

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the links below for more tips and information.