ReflectionFOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 14, 2009Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Cycle B

Good News ReflectionFOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 14, 2009Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Cycle B
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA: To distribute copies of this reflection, please order the professionally published bulletin insert from Catholic Digital Resources:http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/CorpusChristi.htm
Next Sunday's Readings:Exodus 24:3-8Ps 116:12-13, 15-18Heb 9:11-15Mark 14:12-16, 22-26http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/061409.shtmlAudio: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_06_14.mp3
Next Sunday's readings speak to us of the Eucharist: "the blood of the covenant" and "the cup of salvation". What does the Eucharist mean to you?
Christ came to earth to serve us as our high priest. Unlike the Jewish priests of the Old Testament, who atoned for the people's sins with the blood of goats and calves, Jesus absolved our sins with his own blood. He said: "This is my blood of the covenant, shed for many." This is the NEW covenant. With it he achieved what no other high priest could do: He obtained for us eternal redemption.
Only the blood of God himself could accomplish this, because no matter how good our intentions are, and no matter how holy a priest might become, we all fall back into sin again and again. Only Jesus, the perfectly holy human whose divinity conquered death, could open the doors to eternal life.
Jesus paid a very high price to atone for our sins. What if we come to Mass with unrepented sins? We know we've done wrong, yet our desire to avoid the hard work and humility of changing is larger than our desire to let Jesus transform us. It's larger than our desire to enjoy all the benefits of the Eucharist.
To receive his body and blood in the Eucharist without letting it atone for our sins is to snub and reject the terrible price that Jesus paid when he died for us. To avoid his presence in the Sacrament of Confession because it makes us feel uncomfortable is highly disrespectful of the suffering that he endured for us.
To accept the on-going atonement provided for us in the Eucharist without accepting the need to repent of any sin is to insult Jesus while denying ourselves an opportunity to let him save us that sin.
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ has the power to "transubstantiate" us into his likeness. We should always leave Mass different than when we arrived. This is God's plan! His work as our high priest isn't finished yet.
Questions for Personal Reflection:What sins have been most difficult for you to overcome? What are you most reluctant to overcome? Why? Who or what are you catering to that is replacing Jesus as your god to imitate? What will you do this week to give Jesus the opportunity to save you from these sins?
Questions for Community Faith Sharing:How did you learn that the consecrated bread and wine at Mass are truly the real Body and Blood of Christ? What makes you sure of it today? How does this affect your attitude about your sins?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org* To join and become a member, go to: http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
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