THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
This weekend, as we are privileged to host those leading the Seton Route Eucharistic Pilgrimage through our archdiocese as we continue the three-year National Eucharistic Revival, we are blessed to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. I hope you are planning to attend one of the following events:
Evening Event with Young Adults at the Shrine of St. John Neumann (at 7:00pm on Saturday);
Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul (at 11:00am on Sunday) followed by a procession to St. Patricks’ Church;
Evening Event at St. Laurence Church, Upper Darby (at 7:00pm on Sunday);
Procession and Mass at Ss. Simone and Jude Church, West Chester (at 8:30am on Monday); or
Prayer Service and Benediction at St. Agnes Church, West Chester (at 12:15pm on Monday).
I plan to join in the Evening Event at St. Laurence Church, Upper Darby; perhaps I’ll see you there!
As we celebrate this important feast today and participate in the National Eucharistic Revival on a local level, allow me to explore with you another important aspect of the Eucharist: the sign of the new and everlasting covenant. We will hear about covenant in all three readings this Sunday.
We will hear proclaimed in this Sunday’s first reading from the Book of Exodus that Moses ordered the sacrifice of young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. He splashed some of the blood from these sacrificial bulls on the altar and sprinkled some on the people after reading to them the book of the covenant. This ritual ratified the covenant between God and his people Israel at Mount Sinai as God promised to take care of them and they, in turn, promised to be faithful to God and his commandments. As we all know, however, the rest of the Old Testament witnesses to the infidelity of the people and God’s continued care for them.
After allowing his people ample occasion to learn that they were unable to be faithful to God on their own, God sent his son who would establish the new and everlasting Covenant. Jesus introduced it at the Last Supper and ratified it by his sacrifice on the cross. At the Last Supper, when Jesus shared a Passover meal with his apostles, he made several startling proclamations as he passed bread and wine. It was customary for those participating in the Passover to pass around a loaf of unleavened bread and several cups of wine. The unleavened bread recalled the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. The cups of wine were seen as signs of blessing from God. When Jesus passed the cup of wine, however, he said to his disciples, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” It must have taken a tremendous act of faith for the disciples to drink of this cup. They were forbidden to drink blood since it represented the life force of the creature from which the blood was drawn. And yet, they drank of the chalice because they put their trust in Jesus. The cup of blessing, which was associated with the Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai had become the cup of the New Covenant which Jesus Christ was to ratify by his crucifixion and resurrection!
In this Sunday’s second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we read: “When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. …For this reason, he is the mediator of a new covenant.” While Moses and the high priests who followed after him acted as mediators for the old covenant that had to be renewed over and over again, Jesus is the mediator and high priest of the new covenant offered on the cross. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we participate in this once-for-all sign of the New Covenant.
Whenever we celebrate the Eucharist, we do well to reflect on this sacred mystery, the “source and summit” of our faith and our worship. As we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
It is Christ himself, the eternal high priest of the New Covenant who, acting through the mystery of the priests, offers the Eucharistic sacrifice. And it is the same Christ, really present under the species of bread and wine, who is offering the Eucharistic sacrifice. (§ 1410)
As I mentioned above, God has established a covenant with us, assuring us of his unconditional love and eternal care. This covenant, now ratified in the blood of Christ, unites us with God with an unbreakable bond that will be made fully manifest in the heavenly banquet God has prepared for all of his faithful. As we join with all parishes throughout our nation in the conclusion of the parish phase of this three-year National Eucharistic Revival, let us strive to live this reality worthily, for we are, indeed, the people of the New Covenant! Let us renew the Church and the world by enkindling a living relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. He is truly the priest, prophet and king who offers himself on the altar at Mass as the spotless lamb, the perfect sign of the new and eternal covenant
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Chris? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16)
WELCOME SEMINARIAN JOSHUA PARMET
We are very happy to welcome Joshua Parmet, a seminarian from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary who will move into our rectory on 3 June and stay with us until early August. He will also come to our parish for his Thursday Apostolate assignment throughout the upcoming fall, winter and spring. This will give him an opportunity to learn about parish life as he prepares to become a priest for our archdiocese. Josh is originally from St. Philomena’s parish in Lansdowne and is currently a member of Annunciation parish in Havertown, the third of five children. He graduated from Haverford High School and received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University in 2017. He then went on to receive an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University in 2019. Josh worked for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Southern Maryland for three years and it was at this time that he heard the Lord’s call to the priesthood. He entered the seminary in 2022. He will begin his third year of formation there in September. I’m sure you will all join in welcoming Josh as he experiences our wonderful, active parish life!