Corpus Christi / Journey (2011-06-26)

This is my homily for Sunday, 26 June 2011. I am a Catholic chaplain at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) campus and for the FDU Newman Catholic Association. We celebrate Catholic Mass - during Fall and Spring semester - every Sunday Mass (7:30 p.m.) at the Interfaith Chapel, 842 River Road, Teaneck, NJ. We resume our Sunday schedule on Sunday August 28, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.


YEAR A READINGS: [ Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a | Psalm 147 | 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 | John 6:51-58 ]


[__01_-CORPUS CHRISTI__]

On this Corpus Christi Sunday, we recall our relationship to Jesus Christ; and, recall that the Lord is present to us on all of our journeys.

That he has not left us alone.We recall that he is present to us.

If Jesus had lived FOREVER- up until the present day – as a preacher/rabbi in Palestine, if he had never physically died, then he would still be present somewhere.

However, in his death and resurrection, the Lord dies so that he might be physically and spiritually close to all of us.

This is the part of the gift of Pentecost which we celebrated 2 weeks ago. And, he gives us his Holy Spirit. Today, we recall the sacrament of his Body and Blood.

He dies so that we might be nourished, so that we might find him wherever we are, on every path.

[__02__-journey, Passover, new…_] In our reading from the book of Deuteronomy, we hear about the path that the Hebrew people are taking when they cross from Egypt to the Promised Land.

During this journey, they are impatient, they are tested.

– due to …
• HEAT … makes them thirsty
• WALKING .. makes them hungry

Crossing the sand, they complain to Moses that it is too arduous. Egypt – despite its slavery – was better. At least, they had regular mealtimes and familiar surroundings.

The Passover, which began triumphantly, in the comfort of their homes has turned out to be something entirely new…

Food is scarce, water nonexistent, and every day a new challenge or wild animal or hazard.

[__03___] We are also tested during our journeys.

The Hebrew people are tested and told that … “man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy, also Jesus in desert with Satan)

This is a reminder to the Hebrew people – and to us – not to take too many things with them, not to be too heavily burdened, not to worry about what was taken from them at the security checkpoints leaving Egypt.

We are called to be mindful of what we are carrying through our lives, of what we take with us.

For example, when we go to a new country, a new altitude, a new place, we are often tested in our search for nourishment, for food and water. We are tempted to take as much as possible with us.

We may feel that the greatest test we will have is .. simply .. being fed or finding water.

This is also what Moses and his people think, at first. That is, they are tested first by the heat, exhaustion, hunger, thrist.

However, the greater test is that, in the desert, they feel alone, abandoned.

And, a change in our lives can also leave us feeling isolated or alone.

In other words, I cannot completely NOURISH … or defend myself.

What is the new surrounding?

Perhaps, the new surrounding is …
• Change in our family … or a new need to which we are responding
• Decline in the health of another person… we are called to take care of someone who is ill
• A sudden transformation due to the death of someone we love.
• A change .. financially, economically.
In some way, we are in the wild, seeking food and water.

[__04___] Coming to Sunday Mass, we remember that Christ is present to us even in unfamiliar surroundings.

In the wild and in the unfamiliar, we could – MAYBE – bring lots of stuff or money with us. But, this may weigh us down.

It may not really be, as the economists and executives and politicians would say … SUSTAINABLE.

That is, we only diminish ourselves and diminish others – and God’s creation -- by taking too much from the earth. That is true in the natural sense.

Also, how much can we really carry? A one-half liter bottle of Poland Spring water is pretty light..but will only last a little while.

What happens when we need a one-week supply of water ..or one-month supply or longer? Better that we should go where the water is, or as the Israelites were
called, to go where God is leading them, to go where there is water.

[__05___] We can turn to Christ in unfamiliar surroundings.

Corpus Christ reminds he is always present … so that we can turn to him … for
• WISDOM – when we are confused
• PEACE – when we are in a conflict
• FORGIVENESS – when we have sinned.

And, Corpus Christi reminds us that Christ is always here.. not only when we receive Communion, but also when we sit before his tabernacle to pray.
He is here to sustain us, so that we need not carry too many material things into the wild. We need our only carry our hearts to him.

He is here to meet us, to console us with this Body and Blood which do not die, which do not perish.

And, he has died, gone ahead of us, on the road, so that we might live.
[__FIN___]