HOM Most Holy Body and 2021 June 6

Today the Church celebrates the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This is a very important Solemnity because the is the source and summit of the Christian life. It is the source because it makes possible all the good we are called to be about as disciples of Christ. It is the summit because eternal union with Jesus in the life, love, and divine glory of the Most Holy Trinity – for ourselves and others -- which begins here and now -- is the goal of Christianity; it is the goal of our faith.

The Eucharist is also the sacrament by which the effects of all the other sacraments is maintained, renewed, or enhanced in us and it is the sacrament to which all the other six sacraments lead. That’s why the Holy Eucharist is called the Most . As stated in the Catechism of the :

The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is…presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."

Finally, the Eucharist is the reason God’s Son became Incarnate. Jesus united our human nature to His divine nature so that, perfectly obedient to the Father’s will in the Flesh, He could give us the gift of Himself in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, thus enabling us, united by this to His humanity, to also be perfectly obedient to the Father with Him. Indeed, it is by way of Holy that our baptismal and confirmational oneness with Jesus is brought to fullness – to perfection -- as we join in Jesus’ eternal self-offering to the Father and His unto the Cross for the life of the world.

Perhaps you are aware of the issue of Eucharistic coherence or Eucharistic consistency that has come to the fore for our US Bishops. Eucharistic consistency basically has to do with worthy reception of Holy Communion. It means that the person receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, first of all, believes and also is striving, to conform his life to, Church teaching on faith and morals which are based on the Word of God and the natural law of right reason.

A number of very high government leaders who are Catholic, and who attend regularly and receive Holy Communion, also promote abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgenderism which are grave moral evils. Because their support for these is in the public arena, and they are recalcitrant or unwilling to publicly repent of this, Church law under 915 requires that after being told by their bishop or priest not to receive, if they present themselves for Holy Communion, they are to be denied the sacrament.

The Bishops have not enforced this, and only a couple of them have spoken out in favor of doing so. But the problem has continued to grow, and at one of their meetings last year, the issue was discussed and a committee was assigned to study the matter and to recommend a course of action. This resulted in a letter to our current President on Inauguration Day assuring him of the Bishops’ support for policies that are in line with Church teaching, and of their opposition to policies that are morally evil including the three already mentioned. At least one Cardinal archbishop from the Midwest publicly objected to the letter.

That study committee also recommended that the Bishops develop a statement that would address worthy reception of the Eucharist, in general, and, in particular, the procedures that would be followed in regard to Holy Communion and Catholic political leaders who publicly support abortion, euthanasia, and other gravely sinful practices.

The archbishop of Washington DC responded by issuing a statement that he would not deny Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who present themselves for Holy Communion, no matter what policies they promote (except perhaps racism, I suspect).

Recently, several bishops, on their own authority, have issued pastoral letters on this subject, pointing out the duty of bishops to implement Canon 915 so that the Catholic Faithful are not confused about Church teaching on grave sin and sacrilegious reception of the Eucharist, and most especially, so that Catholic political leaders supporting grave evil can be made aware of the dire danger they in are with regard to their eternal salvation. (In his First Letter to the Corinthians (11: 27) St. Paul writes that: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.”) These pastoral letters also seek to alleviate the injustices and harm caused by public policy that is morally evil.

At their virtual meeting this month, the US Bishops are scheduled to discuss developing a statement on Eucharistic Consistency in light the recent guidelines issued by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Between 60 and 70 Bishops, out of some 450, however, have already signed a letter asking that such a discussion not take place until the Bishops can meet live, which would be in November at the earliest. The signers constitute a group of Bishops opposed to denying Holy Communion to government leaders who promote abortion or other gravely immoral policies.

Finally, in his pastoral letter titled, “Before I Formed You in the Womb I Knew You”, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone states that:

“Those who kill or assist in killing the (unborn) child even if personally opposed to abortion), those who pressure or encourage the mother to have an abortion, who pay for it, who provide financial assistance to organizations to provide abortions, or who support candidates or legislation for the purpose of making abortion a more readily available ‘choice’ are all cooperating with a very serious evil.”

He adds that this is never morally justified, which also means that the person needs to repent and be absolved in Confession before receiving Holy Communion.

All of this is a reminder that unworthy reception of Holy Communion is to be avoided. Let us also keep in mind that the disposition for receiving Holy Communion includes these two requirements: 1) being in a state of grace – with no un-absolved mortal sins (which include any sexual relations or other actions outside of marriage and also contraception – which is intrinsically evil – within or outside of marriage; AND 2) deliberately, freely and without reservation, offering oneself to and with Jesus to the Father for the life of the world, that is, for the salvation of all the willing beginning with family and friends. So again, the proper disposition for receiving Holy Communion includes being in a state of grace and the intention to offer oneself reciprocally to Jesus.

You can join me in making or renewing such a Eucharistic Self-Offering by praying these words silently at Holy Communion: I AM ALL YOURS O MOST LOVING JESUS THROUGH MARY, YOUR MOTHER…WITH THE HELP OF ST. JOSEPH.

Closing on a practical note, I take this occasion to ask each of you to be mindful of how you hold your hands for Holy Communion. Since I have resumed distributing Holy Communion with the pandemic procedures still in effect, I noticed how tricky it can be to give Communion on the hand without touching the hand WHEN THE HAND IS NOT HELD FLAT AND STEADY until I have placed the sacred host and retracted my hand.

When I give our second graders sacramental preparation instructions, I have always told them to put their hands out as flat as pancakes and to not give me a moving target for placing the host. A little cupping of the hands is OK but please keep them steady for me.

And remember, if you are right-handed, the right hand goes underneath. If left-handed, the left hand is underneath.

The reverent bow of the head is when the sacred host is held in front of you. Then comes “The ” with your response of “Amen”.

And then, before walking away, use your hand from underneath to take and place the Sacred Host in your mouth. When you get to the pew, check for Sacred crumbs on your hands, and consume any you find. Please do not dust or wipe your hands before then. Exercise reverent care but no need to be fastidious.