Download The Body and Blood of Christ 6/7/15

THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
This week the movie Jurassic World comes out. For most of us, we remember
Jurassic Park of the 90’s. I understand this new movie assumes the theme park featuring
live dinosaurs actually opened and guests came to see this amazing thing. The premise of
both movies is “what if.” What if dinosaur DNA could be extracted from pine sap? What if
that DNA could be then made into a dinosaur? What if those dinosaurs could be housed in
a park something like a modern zoo where people could come to see how they interact with
one another?
It can be intriguing to imagine what if scenarios. What if we could prevent some
major catastrophe from happening, by turning back the clock? What if we could be rich or
powerful? What if we could eradicate poverty and war? What if we could change the
world?
Most of the time we cannot make our “what if” scenarios real. However, God can,
and did. When mankind had fallen and lost paradise, it seemed that all was lost. Adam and
Eve were banished from the Garden and were now strangers to each other and to God. Yet,
despite this desperate situation there was always the hope that things could change.
What if God could reverse man’s sinfulness by covenanting with him? So, God made
it happen. He made a covenant with Abraham sealed with the sacrifice of the blood of
animals. Later this sacrifice would be renewed by Moses in the desert. The people would
recommit themselves to God by a covenant made by the blood of bulls and goats. Yet, even
with these covenants it always seemed that mankind would turn away despite God’s
faithfulness.
So, what if God would come to earth and take on human flesh? What if God would
do this by becoming human in Jesus and like us in every way but sin? Still further, what if
Jesus would show us the way to the Father by perfect obedience, even to shedding His
blood on the cross? Could that be possible?
Our faith tells us that this is not a fantasy, but is real. Jesus did take on human flesh
and showed us how to be human. He showed us that the only way we will find true
happiness is to submit ourselves entirely to the Father. Grasping at power or privilege will
always leave us empty-handed.
But you know what the greatest part of this mystery is? Jesus didn’t just do this and
then leave. He made us partakers in this great mystery. He turned ordinary bread and
wine into His own Body and Blood. He told His disciples to continue this meal and that
every time they did Christ would become present once again. Then, we can partake in the
meal that is our salvation. We can become what we eat. By sharing in this meal we become
one with Christ in the salvation He brought to the world.
Most of us give up fantasies when we grow up. We know that we cannot turn back
the clock or end poverty…or can we? Jesus promised us that if we eat His Body and drink
His blood we have life within us. We have the very life of God, and with God all things are
possible. We can live a new way. We can through the strength of the Eucharist and the gift
of the Holy Spirit find ways to end poverty, war, and injustice. These don’t have to be
fantasies. They can be reality. In fact, it is the way Christ has established to recreate the
world.
I suspect most of us don’t think much about what the Eucharist is or what it does for
us. Maybe we have become so used to it that we aren’t awed by the mystery. Even more
we rarely allow that power to change us or change the world. I encourage you to allow that
mystery to happen for you. After you receive communion take some time to allow the Lord
to speak to your heart. Don’t run out right after you have received. Sit in silent wonder and
allow the Lord to speak to your heart. What needs to change in your life? What can you do
to change the world? I know that all things are possible with God. Don’t let it simply be
“what if.” Instead let it be “it is.”