Location: San Fernando Cathedral
Dear Eucharistic People, today’s Solemnity of Corpus Christi holds particular importance for our country. We are approaching the culmination of the National Eucharistic Revival that began three years ago, preparing for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis from July 17 to 21. We join spiritually in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage through our own Eucharistic Procession. Let us seize this opportunity to reflect on the proper preparation for every Eucharistic Celebration. Let us meditate on the profound significance of this sacrament and the unity it fosters among us as the Body of Christ.
Our first reading, from Exodus, describes how Moses, following God’s command, prepared with the Israelites for the covenant ceremony. The people pledged to obey the Lord’s commandments. This was not merely external preparation, but a solemn act involving the participation and commitment of the people.
Similarly, our preparation for Mass is crucial. It is not just about arriving on time, brushing our teeth, or dressing appropriately; it is about preparing our hearts to encounter Christ. When we come to Mass, we should come with a spirit of anticipation and reverence, much like the Israelites who awaited the covenant ceremony. We must approach the altar with a commitment to listen to God’s Word and to respond with our lives, saying, “All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do.” As Pope Francis has pointed out, before Jesus sent his disciples off to make preparations for the Last Supper, “the Lord had already made his own preparations.” He asks us to cooperate.
The Eucharist is both a sacrifice and a sacrament of presence. In Eucharistic Adoration, we spend time in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, deepening our relationship with Christ. This adoration is intrinsically connected to the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In Adoration, we contemplate this profound mystery.
Jesus is present in the Eucharist, the same Jesus who offered himself on the cross. This contemplation prepares us to participate more fully in the celebration of the Paschal Mystery. It bridges our moments of silent adoration with the communal celebration of the Mass, where we are nourished by Christ’s Body and Blood.
The bread and wine, the altar, the gestures, are deeply meaningful. However, their true significance lies in how they lead us to a deeper internal reality. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Christ, our high priest, entered the sanctuary not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, obtaining eternal redemption for us. Our external acts of devotion, such as genuflecting, making the sign of the cross, or participating in processions, must reflect an interior disposition of reverence and love for Christ. When we genuinely adore Christ in the Eucharist, our hearts are transformed, drawing us into a deeper communion with God and with each other.
The celebration of the Eucharist unites us with Christ and with one another through the Lord’s sacrifice and resurrection. This unity must extend beyond the Mass. The sacrament we celebrate compels us to live out its reality in our daily lives. We become the Body of Christ, called to serve and love as He did. The Eucharist strengthens us to carry Christ’s presence into the world, to be instruments of His peace and love. So, let us renew our commitment to prepare our hearts for this great mystery. Let our adoration lead us to a more profound participation in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, and may our external devotions reflect our internal disposition of love and reverence. Finally, let the unity we experience at Mass permeate our lives, making us true witnesses of Christ in the world.
May Our Lady of Guadalupe help us always approach the Eucharist with the awe and reverence it deserves, allowing it to transform us and bind us together in the love of Christ.
