Selfless Disposition

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

22 June 2025

 

First Reading: Genesis 14:18-20

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Gospel: Luke 9:11b-17

 

Reflection

By: Bernard M. Borja

 

In every Mass or Eucharistic celebration, we are invited to immerse into the deep mystery of Christ’s self-offering. It is an invitation that speaks directly to our hearts, our communities, and even to the world’s most difficult moments. The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, reminds us of a transformative encounter: that every time we gather and break bread together, we remember not only the greatness of Jesus’ love for us through His death and resurrection, but we also participate in Jesus’ work of redemption.

In the words of St. Paul through his first letter to the Corinthians: “I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you…” he reiterates the essence of the Eucharist. It is an invitation to remember that Christ’s body was given for us and that His blood seals the new covenant. When we partake in Holy Communion, we are repeatedly invited to reflect on the sacrificial love that exceeds all human understanding. This sacrament calls us to embody the same love, to become living proclaimers of Jesus’ offering by going beyond our individual selves. The miracle of the five loaves and two fishes recalls this offering or divine generosity. Just as a simple meal is multiplied into a feast, our humble offerings — our time, our compassion, and even our small resources — can be transformed into a bounty of grace when given in the spirit of selfless sharing.

In our experience, especially during hardship, we often fall to our tendency of self preservation. When the disciples said to Jesus, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here”, it reflects a common impulse of us humans. When confronted with overwhelming challenges, it is easier to retreat into the safety of our concerns and push others’ needs away. However, by choosing to “dismiss the crowd”, we risk missing the call to generosity that is at the heart of Jesus’ invitation. Instead, He urges us to share whatever we have. In doing so, we participate in a divine act of multiplication, where the simple act of sharing becomes a channel for hope, healing, and abundant provision.

We can also consider reflecting at the continuing tensions in countries such as the conflict between Israel and Iran. The effects on the economy and quality of life for the rest of the world are very evident. Today, fear and uncertainty drive many to concentrate solely on their own survival. The instinct to withdraw from communal care can be powerful when the world seems divided and resources are limited. But the Eucharist and feeding miracles invite us to look beyond our limited perspectives. Just as Jesus used five loaves and two fish to feed the crowd, our seemingly insufficient contributions can also become transformative when they are extended in love. It is an invitation to find God in the midst of chaos and confusion — a reminder that even in difficult times, sharing a small part (or a tenth like Abram offered) of what we possess can ignite hope.

When we reflect on these sacred mysteries, we see that the Eucharist is both a remembrance of Christ’s passion and a command to be His body in the world. When we receive the Blessed Sacrament, we are called to rise above self-centeredness. It challenges us to transform our natural disposition toward self-preservation into a courageous act of community and compassion. In doing so, our lives become a living testimony to the profound truth that God’s grace multiplies even the smallest gestures.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is not just a day of remembrance, but a call to action. It invites us to be bold in our sharing, to overcome the urge to isolate ourselves in difficult times, and to recognize that every act of kindness and love can be the spark that ignites change. By embracing this nature, we affirm that in the celebration of the Eucharist — and in the sharing of our “five loaves and two fish” — we truly live out the call to be the Body of Christ in a world longing for hope and harmony.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we gather before You with humble hearts, remembering the mystery of Your love manifested in the Eucharist. As we break bread together, remind us that every small act of kindness, every shared moment of hope, carries the seed of Your divine grace.

Lord Jesus, You offered Your body and blood as a gift of redemption for all. In times of uncertainty and trouble, may we draw courage from Your sacrifice. Teach us to see beyond our fears and to recognize that even our simplest offerings can be multiplied into miracles of healing and peace. In our struggles and in our moments of doubt, may the Holy Spirit guide us to express a spirit of community and boundless generosity. May our daily actions become a testament to Your enduring promise of hope and a beacon of light that guides others out of darkness. AMEN.

Living Fully, Not Just Existing

    

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

18 August 2024

 

First Reading: Prv 9:1-6

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Second Reading: Eph 5:15-20

Gospel: Jn 6:51-58

 

Reflection

By: Theresa B. Manio

The past weeks were a roller coaster ride for me. All emotions were up and shifted momentarily in just a flicker. I was surprised, excited, and extremely scared, but I could not stop the thrill of the ride. I had to endure until it stopped, and I literally felt the rise of acid inside my gut. Just like any other circumstance in life, it stopped and passed. In God’s grace, I thrived again. 

Last weekend, my husband and I attended the Life in the Spirit Seminar of Bukas Loob sa Diyos Community, and in that seminar, I realized a thought that deeply hurt me, nobody stopped and intentionally  asked me, how I was? Nobody asked me, “kumusta ka?”, someone who would take the time to really listen. I know everyone is busy. I also know that because I was still in the situation, if someone asks, I couldn’t also elaborate my thoughts so I would simply say, “Okay lang”. I was fighting the meltdown upon having this thought. In silence and darkness, all they asked us was to surrender to the Holy Spirit, to talk to Jesus, to be with His presence.

Most often the conversations we have been having  were about the circumstances of life. We might be thriving and busy, competently making our work done, meeting deadlines and expectations, fulfilling obligations, loving and caring for the people around us, to simply say we have been doing life and not necessarily having a life within us. Last weekend made me realize that I have been doing life lately and not having a life, and Jesus was concerned about this, is there a life within me? Is there a life within you? This question pushes us to discover the hunger within us and the life Jesus wants to feed us. All the Gospels these past few weeks, have been all about this. 

Two weeks ago Jesus challenged us to consider the bread we eat. Is it a perishable one or does it sustain us? Last week, Jesus declared himself to be the bread of life. Today, he says, “Eat me. Drink me.” This is the only way to have life within us. Any other diet leaves us empty and hollow, hungry for life. When we depend on people, even on our loved ones to fill in the hunger we have, most of the time we will just be disappointed and later we might be toxic to them too. 

Jesus is talking about the life that is beyond words and yet we know it when we taste it or when we experience it. We get a taste of it when we love so deeply and profoundly that everything about us passes away and somehow we are more alive than ever before.  In this moment we are in the flow, the wonder, and the unity of life, and it tastes good.

Jesus is our healer and our health. He is our life and the means to the life for which we most deeply hunger. We don’t work for the life we want. We eat the life we want. Wherever human hunger and the flesh and blood of Christ meet, there is life. We consume his life that he might consume and change ours. We eat and digest his life, his love, his mercy, his forgiveness, his way of being and seeing, his compassion, his presence, and his relationship with the Father. Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, remains in me and I in him. Let us work on having a life and not just living it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, who offers Himself as the Bread of Life. May we embrace this sacred gift with reverence and faith, finding in Him the sustenance for our souls and the strength for our journey. Help us to live in unity with Christ, ever mindful of His presence and love within us. Guide us to cherish this holy communion and to share its grace with others, so that through our lives, Your love and truth may be made known. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Ask the Teacher

    

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

11 June 2023

 

First Reading: Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

Second Reading: 1 Cor 10;16-17

Gospel: Jn 6:51-58

 

Reflection

By: Grace B. Madrinan

 

"I a the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever." - John 6:51

I have to admit that I will be as shocked as the Jews in today's Gospel reading. It is really hard to understand this teaching. At that time, they still do not have the Eucharist to relate to the body and blood of Christ. I believe this teaching is what divided Jesus' followers at the time. Some followers left while the apostles stayed with Jesus.

What made the difference is that the other Jews quarreled among themselves, while the apostles asked Jesus to clarify what He meant in the teachings. The other Jews relied on their own understanding and when they did not understand, they gave up and left. Meanwhile, the apostles approached Jesus and sought for more guidance and understanding.

I believe it is human nature to go about asking other people instead of asking the source of information. I recalled one instance during our college days when we, instead of asking our professor, we went about asking among each other what the assignment was and how to go about it. And when I asked, "Why don't we ask our teacher?" They will go about saying, "You should be the one to ask. You're the closest to the teacher!"

I think that is the answer, "we are not that close to the Teacher!" We tend to ask among ourselves, even dispute about the correct interpretation of the teaching, when we should be asking the Source of the teaching. Why? Because we are not that close to Jesus. We have not been with Him enough to know His ways. We have not spent enough time to understand what He meant. We have not established that kind of relationship to ask Him directly, "What are You teaching us, Lord?"

The apostles stayed and asked the Lord because they knew Him well enough to know He will not lead them astray. And because they believed in Him, their hearts were opened and gained more understanding.

Prayer

Father God, a lot of things are beyond our understanding. When we are in doubt, may we seek answers from You instead and lean not on the dictates of the world. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Sorpresang Biyaya - Corpus Christi

Dakilang Kapistahan ng Kabanal-banalang Katawan at Dugo ng Panginoon

Ika-6 ng Hunyo 2021 

 

First Reading (Unang Pagbasa):  EX 24:3-8

Responsorial Psalm (Salmong Tugunan):  116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18

Second Reading (Ikalawang Pagbasa):  HEB 9:11-15

Gospel (Mabuting Balita):  MK 14:12-16, 22-26

 

Repleksyon

Ni: Nats Vibiesca

 

Masaya nating ipinagdiriwang ang araw na ito ng Kapistahan ng Kabanal-banalang Katawan at Dugo ng Panginoong Jesus  dahil ito ay pag-alaala, pagdakila, at matimyas na pagpapasalamat natin sa kabutihang ginawa ng ating Diyos upang tayo ay matubos sa kasalanan. May personal na kahulugan sa akin ang taon-taon nating pagdiriwang na ito bukod sa pag-aalaala ng buhay ni Jesus na dapat ngang ipagpasalamat dahil ito ang sinasabi nating "Bagong Paskuwa" nang ialay mismo ni Jesus and Kanyang katawan at dugo. Dalawang malapit sa puso ang kahulugan ng kapistahang ito para sa akin: una, ito ay tuloy-tuloy na sorpresang biyaya para sa atin, at ang pangalawa ay ang pagkakataon para ihandog natin sa Diyos and anumang pasakit, hirap, suliranin, o alalahanin natin sa buhay.

Kung ang buhay natin bilang Kristiyano ay laging masaya, hindi naman maiiwasan na dumarating din ang mga araw na tayo ay nalulungkot. Kung minsan ay tinatanong natin ang ating mga sarili kung nakahanda nga ba tayo sa mga pinakamalulungkot na pangyayari ng ating buhay? Halimbawa'y and epekto ng pandemya sa ating panahon. Binulaga tayong lahat ng malungkot na pangyayaring ito sa ating pamayanan at litong-lito tayo, natataranta, natatakot, nangangamba sa kung kailan matatapos ang masalimuot na kaganapang ito sa mundo. Subalit sa pag-aalay ng ating Panginoon ng Kanyang sariling katawan at dugo sa tuwing nakikibahagi tayo sa Banal na Misa, nahihiwagaan tayo sa kabutihan ng Diyos dahil dumarating ang sorpresang biyaya sa ating buhay. Kaya't sa sorpresang biyayang handog ng Diyos sa ati'y nawawalan ng bisa ang kalungkutan, naiibsan ang pagdurusa natin, at napapawi ang anumang pagdadalamhati. Hindi ba't karamihan sa atin ay pagod na pagod na sa panahong ito ng pandemya at patuloy na dumarami ang kumakalam ang sikmura't halos magpalimos ang mga walang-wala? Pero dahil sa patuloy nating pananalangin at tulad ng pag-aalay ng Diyos ng Kanyang sarili, mahimalang natutugunan ang kagutuman sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa ng mga mamamayan sa pagbabahagi ng anumang makakayanan nila at parang kabuting nagsulputan ang sorpresang biyaya ng Diyos na tinatawag nating "Community Pantry".

Bukod sa handog na sorpresang materyal na pangangailangan ng ating katawan, nagliliwanag ang ating kaisipan, diwa, at damdamin sa anumang kinakaharap natin. Mas nagiging kalmado tayo sa sitwasyong gumugulo sa atin. Unti-unting sinasakop ng liwanag ng Diyos ang bawat sulok ng ating kaluluwa na binalot na ng kadiliman dahil sa traumang nararanasan natin sa paligid. Hindi papayag ang Diyos na malugmok tayo sa paghihirap at mauwi sa pagkakasala dahil patuloy Niyang inaalay ang sarili para sa atin upang makayanan natin ang lahat ng paghihirap sa ating buhay. Ang lahat ng ispiritwal na biyaya ay ibinubuhos ng Diyos para sa atin sa tuwing tinatanggap nating ang Kanyang Katawan at Dugo sa Banal na Misa.

Hindi natatapos ang mga biyaya sa pagtanggap natin sa Katawan at Dugo ng ating Diyos, at dahil sa sorpresa nga ito, kadalasa'y hindi natin alam kung ano ang magagandang biyayang naghihintay sa atin. Basta't ang sigurado'y napakalaking biyaya nito na hindi natin inaasahan, mas malaki pa sa biyayang ipinagdarasal nating makamit, maging materyal man o ispiritwal na sorpresa.

Sa kabila ng kasabikang matanggap ang sorpresang biyaya ng Diyos, perpektong pagkakataon din ang Banal na Misa na ilapit sa Diyos ang mga problema natin sa buhay. Kailangang maging alerto tayo sa bahagi ng Misa ng pag-aalay ng Kanyang Katawan at Dugo dahil ito nga ang perpektong pagkakataon na ibigay sa Diyos ang ating buhay. Napakalapit ng Diyos sa atin sa pagkakataong inaalay ang Eukaristiya sa Banal na Misa at kung kaya't mapagpakumbabang ibigay natin ang lahat sa Diyos ang anumang pasakit, pasanin, pagdurusa, kalungkutan, kasalanan, at kawalan ng kapayapaan ng ating buhay. Kung naihain na natin sa Diyos ang lahat ng ito, tiyak na papalitan naman ng Diyos ng sorpresang biyaya na magpapatibay sa ating pagiging mabuting tao, pagiging mabuting Kristiyano, pagiging mabuting lingkod, para sa sariling pamilya natin at para na rin sa bayan natin.

 

Panalangin

 

Panginoong Jesus, labis ang aming kasiyahan sa lahat ng sorpresang biyaya na aming natatanggap sa bawat Misa na aming dinadaluhan. Lubos ang aming pasasalamat sa pag-aalay ng Iyong Kabanal-banalang Katawan at Dugo para sa kaligtasan namin. Dalangin naming maranasan din ng aming mga mahal sa buhay at lahat ng higit na nangangailangan ang grasya ng kapayapaan sa buhay sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap namin sa Iyo sa Banal na Komunyon. Amen.

 

 

 

Katawan ni Kristo

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

14 June 2020

First reading                                                                        Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16
Moses said to the people: ‘Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart — whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
‘Do not then forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery: who guided you through this vast and dreadful wilderness, a land of fiery serpents, scorpions, thirst; who in this waterless place brought you water from the hardest rock; who in this wilderness fed you with manna that your fathers had not known.’

Second reading                                                                1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Though we are many, we form a single body because we share this one loaf.
The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.

Gospel                                                                     John 6:51-58

‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’

Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh
and drink my blood has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,

but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

Reflection

By Carlo Alexis R. Malaluan

I attended one mass and the choir sang Ricky Manalo’s “Ang Katawan ni Kristo” during communion. The lyrics of the song goes this way: “Ang Katawan ni Kristo! Ang Katawan ni Kristo! Behold the Body of Christ! Rejoice, O People of God, we are the Body of Christ!”

In the Second Reading, Saint Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians poses a very good question: Is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? Is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. I must admit, that for me, the most beautiful image of the Catholic Faith is none other than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There, in different parts of the world and during the different times of the day, we are gathered together in Christ as one community of believers. In the Mass, we are no longer classified by our social status, academic attainment, political beliefs and titles. We are gathered together as one. We are the Katawan ni Kristo! We are the body of Christ! In communion, Christ calls us to none other than Himself. In the Gospel according to Saint John, Christ invites us to partake in His body so that we may remain in Him and He remain in us. Communion does not only nourish our soul but also strengthen our relationship with Christ. As if he is saying: I am all yours! I give you my entirety! 

But as a part of this Mystical Body of Christ, we are also called to be sensitive to the plight of other people – who are also, like us, members of this one body. We must  be considerate of those who suffer, for those who cry silently, for the victims of oppression, discrimination and violence. They who are wounded are the very wounds of Christ. We cannot let the cry of these people fall into deaf ears.  In simple acts of kindness and compassion, we can heal these wounds. We are not strangers to one another. We are one. As Christ continually gives Himself in the form of bread and wine, we are also called to offer up our small and insignificant selves for others maybe not in the highest altars of the cathedrals but in the altars of daily mundane life. There we will find our altars, our places of sacrifice and life. Through them, we can participate in the eternal offering of the Body and Blood of Christ. As the song reminds us: Rejoice! We are the Body of Christ.

Prayer

O EUCHARISTIC LORD! You have called us to your banquet. Make us one in Your body. Make us one Your love. Lead us to a life that gives, that loves, that offers just as You continually give, love and offer Yourself in the form of bread and wine. Amen.

Eucharist for the Hungry

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

23 June 2019

First reading                                                                        Genesis 14:18-20
Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing: ‘Blessed be Abraham by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you.’ And Abraham gave him a tithe of everything.

Second reading                                                                1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord.

This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.” In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.”

Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.

Gospel                                                                     Luke 9:11-17

Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing. It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.”

He replied, “Give them something to eat yourselves.” But they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, “Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.”

They did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets.

Reflection

By Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

Aware that people greatly patronize imported goods, a priest once said that the Eucharist is also an imported food. Why? Because, it is not produced here on earth, but it was given by our Lord Jesus as a food from heaven, with love and sacrifice as the main ingredients. Makes sense, isn’t it?

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ or Corpus Christi. In this feast, we are invited to discover the deeper meaning of the Eucharist and develop a better appreciation of it in our daily life. But the sad reality is not all Catholics believe in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They cannot fully accept that the bread and wine being offered, consecrated, and partaken in the Mass are really the body and blood of Christ. The appearance is the same, but the inner substance is changed. They called it as “transubstantiation”, - the transformation of the substance through the power of God’s Spirit and word.

In today’s Gospel, we heard that Jesus fed the multitude - the miracle of multiplying the five loaves and two fishes to satisfy the hunger of the crowd who followed Him. This is what Jesus would also like to do now, to feed the hungry with His body and blood in the form of bread and wine in the Mass. The problem is His apostles' followers -  our bishops and priests - have limited reach. They could only explain the mystery of the Eucharist to those who are already believers, those attending the church regularly. How about those non-believers staying inside their homes? Who will reach them? That’s where discipleship enters. We, who were already fed and were satisfied are called to share our experience of the Eucharist to the world, to invite more believers, and to have a multiple number of witnesses. The faithful must not be contented with merely watching the celebration, they must take part and get a share of the spiritual food that Jesus leaves us with. Full bloom Catholics do not only rely on the word, but also on the food. God’s word nourishes our mind, while the Eucharist nourishes our body and soul.

As we continue to reflect on today's celebration of Corpus Christi, let us be reminded of our own touching experience of receiving the Eucharist. Look back on the day that you were so hungry, unwelcomed, and unloved. To whom do you run to? It was to the Lord who continuously gives us spiritual food, welcomes us in His arms, and loves us infinitely despite of our painful past. Having been fed, we can now volunteer and help in God's feeding program of the Eucharist.

Prayer

Lord, we thank You for the gift of the Eucharist. Help us to ponder the depth of this mystery so that we may be moved to our deepest worship of Your presence into it. Amen.

Remembering Christ

Corpus Christi 29 May 2016

First reading
Genesis 14: 18-20

Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing:

‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth,

and blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you.’

And Abram gave him a tithe of everything.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 109:1-4

Second reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.  

Gospel	Luke 9:11-17

Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.

  It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people’ For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, ‘Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.’ They did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets.

  Reflection
By Benj Santiago  

“This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remebrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

This last Sunday of May is the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. Otherwise more popularly known as Corpus Christi. Today's Second Reading from St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians relate the story of the Last Supper of Jesus with His disciples.  It was the night before Jesus was betrayed and they were all gathered up in an upper room to celebrate the Passover. Jesus took the bread and broke it and gave it to His disciples and told them that the bread is His flesh and told them to eat it to remember Him. And then the Lord commanded His disciples to do it in remembrance of Him. Before leaving His disciples, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist.

The Holy Eucharist is one of the sacraments of our Church instituted by Christ Himself. It is the supreme manifestation of Christ's love for all of us that He offered Himself, His own Body and Blood to be the Living Sacrifice, the Ultimate Offering. I am sure the disciples did not grasp what Jesus commanded them to do. They must have wondered why they have to eat and drink the body and blood of Christ.  But they took  this to heart as they themselves offered their lives to protect and perpetuate the Church. And to to this day, the Church repeats the Holy Eucharist in remembrance of Jesus' supreme sacrifice on the cross to save us all from our sin.

May the love of Christ that is perpetually shared in the Eucharist permeate into our hearts to love and serve one another!

Prayer

 

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for instituting the Holy Eucharist to remember that You willingly suffered and died on the cross for our salvation. We praise and thank You for Your supreme offfering, for your amazing love!  May our reception of your Body and Blood transform us to be merciful like You. Amen.

The Goodness of the Lord

Corpus Christi
June 7, 2015

Lord, you have given your people the food of angels, from heaven untiringly sending them bread already prepared, containing every delight, satisfying every taste.

First reading                                      Exodus 24:3-8

Moses went and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. In answer, all the people said with one voice, ‘We will observe all the commands that the Lord has decreed.’ Moses put all the commands of the Lord into writing, and early next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve standing-stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he directed certain young Israelites to offer holocausts and to immolate bullocks to the Lord as communion sacrifices. Half of the blood Moses took up and put into basins, the other half he cast on the altar. And taking the Book of the Covenant he read it to the listening people, and they said, ‘We will observe all that the Lord has decreed; we will obey.’ Then Moses took the blood and cast it towards the people. This’ he said ‘is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you, containing all these rules.’

Psalm                                               Psalm 115:12-13,15-18

Second reading                               Hebrews 9:11-15

Now Christ has come, as the high priest of all the blessings which were to come. He has passed through the greater, the more perfect tent, which is better than the one made by men’s hands because it is not of this created order; and he has entered the sanctuary once and for all, taking with him not the blood of goats and bull calves, but his own blood, having won an eternal redemption for us. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer are sprinkled on those who have incurred defilement and they restore the holiness of their outward lives; how much more effectively the blood of Christ, who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice to God through the eternal Spirit, can purify our inner self from dead actions so that we do our service to the living God.
  He brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: his death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.

Gospel                                        Mark 14:12-16,22-26

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there,’ The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.
  And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’
  After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.

Reflection

By Fely C Santiago

“How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the GOOD He has done for me?”

God is good all the time!  All the time God is good!

Sometimes I wonder what I might say if I were to meet the Lord in person. I think I might say "Thank You Lord" for always being there for me. I want to thank the Lord for everything He has done in my life. I cannot return all the goodness He has showered in my life. I know I cannot thank Him enough. I am nothing. God is everything.  He planted big dreams in my heart. I am now living these dreams. I can now see how God’s Hands are really at work.   Miracles happen everyday.  There are many surprises and explosive blessings everyday. I cannot thank the Lord enough for the many scandalous graces I receive but really do not deserve.  We truly have an amazing and awesome God! I also know with certainty there were times when the Lord carried me. When it was through His strength I got through the dark times in my life. I can now see after all these years how the Lord molded me, shaped me, twisted me, stretched me, to become the person that I am today.  I want to thank the Lord for His goodness even for the many trials and challenges that came my way -- all the frustrations, disappointments, failures, mistakes, rejections. They have made me a better Christian. God allowed these things to happen to build  my character. I am getting better and better because of the goodness of God. Yet I am a work in progress.

Today as we also remember the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ,  God has made known His commitment to us very clearly. Let us also renew our commitment to Him. Know Him more clearly by listening to His words in the Bible, through the Holy Spirit that speaks to us, in the people we meet everyday. See Him in every circumstance whether we walk in the dark valley or greet the morning sunshine. Pray without ceasing, converse with God at all times in every area of our lives, upon waking up, while brushing our teeth, cooking, eating, driving to work, in a meeting. Let us also renew our commitment to love God more and serve Him more in the people that come our way. It is not an accident when we meet someone. It is always a Divine appointment. There is always a purpose. The Lord has given His life to us. We really cannot return all the goodness of the Lord. We just have to stay in faith, to trust, to honor God and to obey His will because He always have the BEST for us. All things happen for good.

God is GOOD!

Prayer

Our loving and faithful God, thank You for all Your goodness. I really cannot thank You enough for all the unconditional love You give me everyday. Thank You for all the dreams You planted in my heart. Thank You for giving me hope. Hold my heart close and sing Your love to me so my doubts and fears are cast away.   In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Complete Nourishment

The Body and Blood of Christ
26 June 2011


Come, let us worship Christ, the bread of life.


First reading Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14-16 3
Moses said to the people: ‘Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart – whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
‘Do not become proud of heart. Do not forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery: who guided you through this vast and dreadful wilderness, a land of fiery serpents, scorpions, thirst; who in this waterless place brought you water from the hardest rock; who in this wilderness fed you with manna that your fathers had not known.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 147:12-15,19-20

Second reading 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.

Gospel John 6:51-58
Jesus said to the Jews:
‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’
Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

Reflection
By Benj Santiago

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven”

One of my favorite family activities is going on an “eat-out”. We love to check out what’s new and good in a place, be it local or outside the country. We have not found anything yet that can sustain us for several days. We always end up eating our five (5) meals a day. The Israelites during the 40 years they were in the desert, did not have the same luxury as we now experience. They cannot order their pack lunch, nor do they have the luxury of planting, harvesting, and growing what they need for their daily sustenance. At one point, they complained to Moses that they want to return to Egypt and be slaves rather than be free and die of hunger. They asked for food to sustain them. Moses admonished them by saying “that not by bread alone does man lives, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Dt 8:3). Now, what really sustain us? What food do we crave for? The Pharisees were completely baffled when they heard Jesus say that “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (Jn 6: 51). In the last supper before Jesus offered His life on the cross, Jesus left us a wonderful celebration in which we can eat the food that sustain our souls. This is the Holy Eucharist which is continuously celebrated everyday in all churches around the world. And we love to partake in this Holy Meal, where we fully believe that we do receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the form of the bread and wine. We are completely nourished, body, heart, and soul. Truly, Jesus was the Word made flesh. And do understand that it is not just by believing in Him and living what He preached and commanded to all of usshall we inherit eternal life. It is also by eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

Lord, transform me to be more like You through Your Holy Eucharist, so that like You, I may be able to transform other people’s lives. In Jesus' name. Amen

Celebrate the Holy Eucharist constantly!