THE EUCHARIST AS GIFT, SACRIFICE, AND MISSION

Homily for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Bible Texts: Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11-17

Jesus Christ, in his infinite love, has offered us many gifts. First, he gave us his Word, which is spirit and life (John 6:63). Second, he gave us his mother, Mary to be our mother (John 19:26-27). Third, he gave us his peace, not as the world gives it (John 14:27). Fourth, he gave us the Holy Spirit, to guide us into all truth (cf. John 16:13). But above all these, Jesus gave us the most intimate and life-giving gift of all: the Holy Eucharist - his own Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, under the appearance of bread and wine, for our spiritual nourishment and a sign of his lasting presence with us. This is what we celebrate today on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi - the mystery of God who became food, to nourish, unite, and save his people.

Our first reading brings us face to face with a mysterious figure: Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of God Most High. He came out to meet Abraham after a great victory and offered bread and wine as a blessing. This is the first time in Scripture that bread and wine were presented in a priestly and sacrificial context. Melchizedek here prefigures Christ the Eternal High Priest, who would later offer not just bread and wine, but his own Body and Blood. 

The Letter to the Hebrews (7:1-3) calls Jesus a priest “in the order of Melchizedek,” showing that his priesthood is not based on genealogy like the Levitical priesthood, but on divine appointment. Just as Melchizedek blessed Abraham and gave him bread and wine, at the Last Supper, Jesus blessed his disciples and gave them his very self under the appearance of bread and wine. The Eucharist, therefore, is not just a ritual - it is a priestly act of blessing and sacrifice, where Christ, our High Priest, intercedes for us and nourishes us with his love.

In the second reading, St. Paul hands on the core tradition of the Eucharist - the same words that the Church uses at every Mass: “This is my body that is for you… This cup is the new covenant in my blood… Do this in remembrance of me.” The Greek word used for “remembrance” is “anamnesis”, which means much more than recalling a past event. It means making that past event present again. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, Calvary is made present. We are not repeating the sacrifice of Christ, but we are participating in the one eternal sacrifice, made present through the mystery of the altar.

The Eucharist is not symbolic. It is real, substantial, and personal. Jesus gives Himself for us - for our sins, for our salvation. As St. Paul says, “as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” Also, in the Eucharist, we do not just receive Christ - we proclaim him, we enter into his death and resurrection, and we are transformed by it.

The Gospel reading is the Feeding of the Five Thousand, and it is no coincidence that this miracle mirrors the structure of the Mass. First, Jesus taught the people - Liturgy of the Word. Second, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it - Liturgy of the Eucharist. Third, all ate and were satisfied - Holy Communion. Jesus did not just perform a miracle to impress the crowd. He was preparing them and us to understand the deeper reality of the Eucharist. Just as he multiplied earthly bread, he would later multiply himself in the Eucharist - making himself present in every tabernacle of the world, to feed every hungry soul.

Notice also what Jesus told the apostles: “Give them something to eat yourselves.” Jesus involved the disciples. He handed the broken bread to them to distribute. This is significant: those who are fed by Christ are also called to feed others. The Eucharist is not just for personal devotion; it is a commissioning. Every Mass ends with the words, “Go forth…” - because we are sent to become what we have received: the Body of Christ for the world. E who are nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ are called to live eucharistically: to become bread broken for others, to sacrifice for our brothers and sisters, and to be agents of unity in a fragmented world. As Pope Benedict said, “The Eucharist is a mystery to be believed, celebrated, and lived.”

Dear friend, in the Eucharist, Jesus does not merely give us something - he gives us himself. It is the greatest gift we could ever receive. The Eucharist is love without limits. Sacrifice without condition. Food for the journey. Strength for the mission. Today, let us come to the altar with faith and purity of heart receive the Lord with reverence, and leave the Church with a heart renewed for service. For truly, blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb.

Amen.