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A Reflection on the Second Reading for June 3: The Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

31/5/2018

Hebrews 9:11-15
11But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)12he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.13For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.

I can’t help myself: are those the three longest sentences ever written? And why are we talking about goats, bulls and heifers, here? According to the Old Law (pre-Christ), bulls and goats were slain in order that their blood could be used for cleansing and purifying (Lev 16:16, 21). Not my idea of a bath, but, no judgement. The blood of a sacrificed heifer was mixed with ashes to cleanse folks from legal corruption (Num 19:18); an external washing which represented their desire for an internal conscience purge. Just the same, these sacrifices were not made lightly. To sacrifice livestock was to give up physical sustenance and financial provision. Imagine how many mouths a hefty heifer would feed. There was surely a giving of self alongside the spilling of blood. Then came our beloved Jesus; son of God and sacrifice for us all (and all the people… and animals, rejoiced). The fulfillment of "the promised eternal inheritance", He was a sacrifice of the utmost purity; He was entirely faultless, and freely gave up His life so that we may experience eternal life. His sacrifice not only cleanses our external selves (our actions or conduct), but our interior selves (the gifts of virtue). Better still, our acknowledgement of the truth of this sacrifice can give us glimpses of heaven right here on earth.

This coming Sunday is my re-birthday. On Wednesday, June 3rd, 2015, my “conscience was purified” while praying in the chapel at Saint Benedict Parish. On Wednesdays we have the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, so I was in the company of Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. At this time in my life, my mind was chock full of dead works. That is, my worries and fears consumed me. My anger consumed me. If I’m honest, it was more than anger—I had hatred in my heart. All that was not of God was taking up residence in my heart and mind. I wanted to let it go, though. I really, truly, wished not to be angry, and to achieve forgiveness somehow. So I asked for His help, and then I waited and listened intently for an answer. He soon responded "through the eternal Spirit", cleansing my soul like a rush of warm water pouring into my heart, breaking apart its hard, crusty exterior. Going forth from that moment, joy, peace, love and honest-to-goodness forgiveness was achieved. He indeed “purified my conscience from dead works to serve the living God ". I was unburdened from guilt, shame and my harsh perspectives of others. I received a glimpse of heaven.
Jesus is the “high priest of the good things that have come”. He is calling us—all of us—to receive our eternal inheritance, and this involves sacrifice. But these things He is calling us to let go of… were they ever really worth hanging on to?

Lori MacDonald

"His sacrifice not only cleanses our external selves (our actions or conduct), but our interior selves (the gifts of virtue)."
Ora reflections (Lori MacDonald)

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Meditations on Psalm 116. June 3rd mass celebration: The Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

30/5/2018

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"Ever ancient... ever new". Psalm 116 hails from a group of psalms known as the 'Hallel Psalms' (songs of Praise sung by the Jewish people at such festivals as Passover).

"What shall I render to the Lord
for all His bounty to me?
I will lift up the cup of Salvation
And call upon the Name of the Lord." - Psalm 116:12-13

Dear Jesus... as I meditate upon the words of this verse of the Psalm, it comes to mind that You most likely sang this Psalm at the Last Supper, not long before offering us the ultimate gift of Your Body and Blood. And 'the cup' of which You sang referred to Your impending Sacrifice and Death.
With gratitude and awe, I ponder those lines; and yet, I ask myself if I honour Your gift by receiving Your Body and Blood with reverence and the awareness of the Sacrifice You offered for my (our) salvation. Do I honour Your Presence in those who have received You--those with whom You dwell? How quickly I can become distracted and can lose the sacredness of the event. I pray for deeper faith and understanding of the power of Your Presence among us. I find myself thinking of a line in a hymn; "You give Yourself to Us O Lord...then selfless let us be... to serve each other in Your Name... in Truth and Charity". "This I can return to the Lord for all His bounty to me". (Gift of Finest Wheat)

"Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of His faithful ones.
O Lord I am Your servant
You have loosed my bonds." - Psalm 116:15-16

Dear Jesus, You died that we might have Eternal Life. What joy to think of the Communion of Saints. So many of my friends and family have gone home to their Eternal rest in the past few years. The knowledge of Your mercy and compassion is consolation. Even in the midst of human grief. Daily I strive to be Your servant, and in spite of my failings... You daily 'loose my bonds' and forgive. In turn, I must also 'loose my bonds' and spread Your message of compassion and love.

"I will offer You a thanksgiving sacrifice
And call on the Name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
In the Presence of all His people." - Psalm 116:17-18

Dear Jesus...How could one not be joyful and thankful for all You have given as gift, especially the gift of Eucharist. But You would be justified in being impatient with me. To 'pay my vows in the presence of the people' is exactly what You ask, as You ask for the renewal of Your Church. It is not such a difficult thing to do... but it requires strength and faith and courage and trust in the Holy Spirit... and most of all: selflessness. I thought that (at my age) I would have had that under control! I will continue to pray that, using the gifts You have given me, I will strive to share Your message of Salvation through word and deed, "in the presence of the people", knowing that You are always with me. Amen.

Lynda Tyler

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A Reflection on the first reading for June 3rd, 2018: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

29/5/2018

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Exodus 24:3-8
When Moses came to the people
and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD,
they all answered with one voice,
"We will do everything that the LORD has told us."
Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and,
rising early the next day,
he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites
to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls
as peace offerings to the LORD,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;
the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,
who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do."
Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,
"This is the blood of the covenant
that the LORD has made with you
in accordance with all these words of his."

The book of Exodus is about God leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. It is about hoping and longing and believing and obeying. God made a covenant with His people. A covenant is more than a contract. A covenant with God is a visceral, deep,and profound promise of the heart, mind and soul to obey God. This is the Creator of the universe promising abundant life to His wayward and oftentimes stubborn people, asking for their obedience in return. God gave them everything and they threw it away, time and time again.

I read Exodus and I find myself wondering why God put up with their whining for so long. Moses told them what God was asking them to do, and they said they would do everything He asked.

Then I think about my own life with God; how I fail to keep my promises to Him, how I lose sight of His grace when things are not going according to my plans. How I don’t trust Him. My life was not supposed to look like this. Divorce was never supposed to happen to me. How could God allow him to do this to me? Anger is one of the stages of grieving. The psalms are great when you feel like God has let you down. He can take it. And as I read them, the anger subsides and I slowly confess my own sins, and begin to thank God for His love and His patience, His grace and His mercy; for His son Jesus and His Holy Spirit. I forgive, and a new day begins.

Exodus isn’t just about leaving, it’s moving forward, moving on. The people of Israel were being set free from slavery in Egypt but they didn’t always like God’s ideas of freedom. They would have to submit to God, to humble themselves, to sacrifice and to obey God if they wanted what He promised. We are no different. In my early life as a Christian, these words came to me one night, “freedom is in obedience.” Jesus said, “if you love me you will obey me.” Why would He say that? Why did God tell Moses to tell the people to obey Him? Because God is perfect love and love obeyed is life giving…abundant life. Obedience to the will of God is the freedom to be all we are meant to be. It’s a one-day-at-a-time thing.

What I love most about the Word of God is that it is full of people like me, some better and some worse, ordinary people doing extraordinary things, by submitting and obeying. When I read Scripture I like to put myself into the story, to make it real for myself, to experience it, not just read it. It’s food and I’ve come to need its nourishment daily. Like the people of Israel, I often fail to keep my promises to God. But He never breaks His promises to me. So I go back to His word and I surrender again and again. I obey Him because He can be trusted, because freedom is in obedience.

Judy Savoy

"God is perfect love and love obeyed is life giving… abundant life!"
Ora Reflections (Judy Savoy)

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