The Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) is celebrated two weeks after Pentecost Sunday. Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of the Sacred Body and Blood of Jesus which is given to us in the Most Holy Eucharist, is a profound, prophetic and powerful Solemnity in the liturgical year of the Catholic Church.

 
This Solemnity honors Jesus Christ, Really, Truly and Substantially Present under the appearances of bread and wine. This Presence happens through the change which the Church calls transubstantiation (“change of substance”), when at the Consecration of the Mass, the priest says the words which Christ Himself pronounced over bread and wine, “This is My Body,” “This is the chalice of My Blood,” “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

This week’s Gospel is from John 14:23-29

^“When the crowds found out about it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed to be cured.

The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” They did so and had them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.” (NRSVU)

In this Gospel we hear something about God's kingdom and about how we are to work together with Jesus and with one another to bring about the kingdom. Jesus tells us we can't expect him to do everything. When Jesus and his disciples are surrounded by thousands of people, the disciples just want to send the people away. They don’t really want to put in any effort. But Jesus tells the disciples: 'You give them something to eat'. Jesus is telling the disciples that they have a role to play in bringing about the kingdom.

The disciples give their bread and their fish which Jesus blesses and breaks and gives back to the disciples to distribute. We are asked to give of ourselves too. How might you reach out to those who are hungry, or to those who need your friendship, or attention, or kindness?

BISHOP’S Flood Appeal

Next week on Thursday 26^th June we will celebrate National Ice-cream Day at St James. Children may come to school dressed in the colour/s of their favourite ice-cream flavour, in return for gold coin donation to the Bishop’s Flood appeal. At lunch time on this day, we will also be selling ice-cream cones in the Cola for $2 each. All proceeds from the donations and ice-cream sales will go to the Bishop’s flood appeal. Your kindness will help families, schools, and parishes begin the long journey of recovery after the floods. Every donation will make a real difference. We look forward to a fun, colourful day!

Term 2 Liturgies and Celebrations: