Although they are separated by more than a thousand years, the incidents in today’s first reading and the Gospel have many striking similarities: they both recount a gathering of the faithful during a time of struggle hearing the assurance of God’s continuing presence and care for his people, a sacrifice, and the expression of a covenant. And, although these two incidents are separated from us by thousands of years, what we are doing here at this sacred moment shares these same characteristics: a gathering of the faithful during a time of struggle hearing the assurance of God’s continuing presence and care for his people, and offering sacrifice as the expression of a covenant.
We all know the story of the Exodus, when the people of ancient Israel fled Egypt and, led by God’s pillar of fire by night and column of smoke by day, traveled back to the Promised Land. In today’s first reading, we hear about the moment when they were at Mt. Sinai. There, they heard God speak to them through Moses, his spokesperson, and offered a sacrifice as a sign that they had accepted the covenant that God wanted to establish with them. In today’s Gospel, we hear about Jesus and his disciples celebrating the Passover which recalled the moment when God had freed Israel from the Egyptians. But now, they were suffering under the grip of the Romans and sought protection from God through the coming of a new leader like Moses. They had come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice according to the dictates of the Law. At their Passover meal, they were assured of God’s presence and care through the words of Jesus who offered a new covenant and the promise of the fullness of the kingdom of God.
We gather here, some two thousand years later, struggling to be freed from the grip of the coronavirus and many other concerns, both in our private lives and worldwide. We gather here around the Table of Sacrifice and hear, once again, the reassuring accounts of God’s continuing presence and care for us, his people, down through the ages. In a few moments, we will hear as we priests, who speak for God, offer the new and eternal covenant and we will pray together for the coming of God’s kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer.
We are so blessed to know that God is truly present among us. God is not a distant God but one who is intimately involved in our daily lives. And, he makes his presence and care known in surprising ways. To the ancient Israelites, he showed his care through the pillar of fire and column of smoke, through manna in the desert and water from a rock. On this, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, we are given the opportunity to reflect on God’s real presence under the appearances of bread and wine that, when consecrated, truly become the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
It is God present in the flesh, just as real as God was present in the flesh when Jesus walked the roads of Galilee, offered himself for us at the Last Supper and on the cross in Jerusalem, and rose from the tomb. How privileged we are to be assured of God’s continuing presence and care for us.
Beginning with Abraham, God has made a covenant with us, promising that he will be our God and calling us to be his people. He established a covenant with his chosen people Israel at Mt. Sinai. And, he established a new and eternal covenant through his Son, Jesus. And, just as God gave Abraham circumcision and the people Israel the Ten Commandments as the signs of their covenants, God has given us the Body and Blood of his own Son as the sign of this covenant; we are grateful to receive this in Holy Communion which makes us the Body of Christ.
One of the most difficult limitations of the coronavirus pandemic for us faithful was being deprived of Holy Communion. It is so good to see so many of you returning. I’m sure you are grateful to be back, once again part of a gathering of the faithful during a time of struggle, hearing the assurance of God’s continuing presence and care for his people, offering sacrifice, and sharing in the new covenant. And, for those of you who are joining us virtually, we all await the day when you can join us in person and receive the Real Presence yourselves.
Today, we formally say farewell and God bless to a priest who has faithfully brought this community the sacred Body and Blood of Christ for the past 17 years. Msgr. Carroll, I’m sure that I speak for everyone here, both in person and virtually, when I thank you for your faithful service to this parish, first as a senior priest and then for many years in active retirement. You have accompanied so many in our parish in their struggles, assuring them of God’s loving presence in their lives. You have presided over countless Eucharistic celebrations, offering sacrifice for us as we take part in this new and eternal covenant. Now, as you finally really retire, we assure you of our prayers and ask that you continue to pray for us.
Every time we gather around our Lord’s Table, we hear of God’s presence in our lives, we participate in the once-and-for-all sacrifice that our Lord, Jesus offered at the Last Supper and on the cross, and we recommit ourselves to the covenant that God has established for us. Let us always be grateful for God’s continuing presence in our midst, most clearly shown through the Body and Blood of Christ, and remain faithful to its promise of making us the Body of Christ here on earth until the time when our Lord returns to bring us to the heavenly banquet in the eternal kingdom.