THE FEAST OF SELF-GIVING

He lives in me!

June 19, 2022: The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26; Luke 9: 11-17

I am the bread come down from heaven, one who eats of this bread will have eternal life!

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, the feast of Self-Giving...total self giving of the Lord who came down from heaven!

The Word has prepared us during the week towards this great celebration...

Let us reflect a little about Giving...
I can give to receive...not just a mundane reception of a return for my giving; but I can give to receive something spiritual. To receive, may be, a blessing from God , to receive an affirmation from the Divine Giver, etc. Melchizedek brought out bread and wine and Abraham gave him the one tenth... all these giving, in view of receiving the divine protection.

There was only one who gave, only to be received... notice, it is in passive! It is not giving to receive, but giving to be received!  The Lord gives, it is upto me to receive or not! But on his part, the Lord gives, to be Received. This is the element of salvation that the Lord has left in the sacrament of the Eucharist, for us to receive.

As the Lord gave the body and the blood, he said...do this in remembrance of me... note again clearly, not just to remember him but remember to do what he did, in remembrance of him... that is, to give of myself as he gave himself totally, to give in remembrance of him... He gives, to be Remembered, that he has invited me to give as he gave! This the element of gratitude that the Lord teaches us in the sacrament of Eucharist, the heart of thanksgiving.

Yes, the Lord invites me to give, as he invited the disciples to give the people to eat...'give them some food yourselves,' he said. It's only when we give the people in need, we remain the Lord's disciples. To make us learn that we need to give always of ourselves to the others in need, He gives, to Remain within us... He comes to us to transform us into Himself, to be givers, to be givers who give of ourselves to others, without passing the buck to someone else. This is the sign of charity, the bond of love that the Lord has left in the sacreament of the Eucharist, because of which the Lord abides in us forever. 

Yes, the Lord, everyday gives himself to me and so... I know, I am joyful and I believe that HE LIVES IN ME...