(From top to bottom) Entrance procession, Eucharistic adoration, Eucharistic procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
By Catherine Wan
June 25 2022
KOTA KINABALU – “We are celebrating the whole being of Christ, Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) in the Eucharist” said the parish priest of Sacred Heart Cathedral, Fr Paul Lo in his opening remark as the main celebrant at the Solemnity of Corpus Christi Jun 18. The Sunset Mass was concelebrated by Fr Russell Lawrine and Fr Saimon William.
The Cathedral was packed with an overflow of parishioners outside the building. The central pews in the church were filled by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMC) serving the Sunday Masses of various languages (English, BM and Chinese).
Fr Paul drew attention to the real presence of Christ in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ during the homily. He highlighted that many Eucharistic miracles happened in the past to strengthen the faith of parishioners and priests in doubt towards the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist,
The Corpus Christi celebration was proposed by St Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, to Pope Urban IV, in order to create a feast focused solely on the Eucharist being the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
Having recognized in 1264 the authenticity of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena, on input of Aquinas, the pontiff established the feast of Corpus Christi as a Solemnity and extended it to the whole Roman Catholic Church.
Liturgically it is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. There is often a procession of the Blessed Sacrament at the end of Holy Mass. The procession is followed by the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
In the second reading, Fr Paul reiterated the institution of the Eucharist at the Last supper of Jesus with His disciples: ‘While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.’ (Matthew 26:26-28) In other words, He instituted the sacrament of Holy Orders.’
Each time we attend Mass, Fr Paul reiterated, we prayerfully participate with the priest who celebrates what Jesus did at the Last Supper.
Acting in the person of Christ, the priest consecrates the bread and wine and they are changed, by the power of the Holy Spirit, into the body and blood of Christ, and this change is called “transubstantiation.”
The transformed bread and wine are not merely symbols but truly are the Body and Blood of Christ. However, Jesus is present to us in many ways, in his Word, in the poor, when two or more are gathered in prayer, and in the Sacraments.
According to the Catechism of Catholic Church, only in the Holy Eucharist is He uniquely present – Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. This is what we mean by the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. – (John 6:56).
The consecrated bread and wine remain the Body and Blood of Christ, even after Mass, when some of the consecrated bread are reserved for distribution to the dying or the sick, or for adoration.
The Blessed Sacrament is kept in the tabernacle, which is why it is customary to genuflect before the tabernacle when in its presence.
By dying on the cross, Jesus sacrificed for our sins. Through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, we are joined to that sacrifice and receive its benefits. However, the parish priest reminded the laity to go for regular confession to remain in a state of grace to receive the Holy Communion. Sacrilege happens when we receive Communion in a state of mortal sin.
At the end of the Mass, Fr Paul placed the host in the monstrance, and accompanied by the assistant priests, the choir, the EMCs and more than 500 parishioners with lighted candles, took part in the procession, which started from the Cathedral, passing around the parish hall and back to the Cathedral. He explained that the Eucharistic procession is the outward expression of the community to proclaim the love of God.
“The procession with the Blessed Sacrament…reminds us that we are called to go out and bring Jesus to others. To go out with enthusiasm, bringing Christ to those we meet in our daily lives.” (Pope Francis, Homily on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, 6 June 2021.)
The procession ended with Vespers in the Cathedral, led by Sr Anita James and Sr Carmen Cordova. Fr Paul blessed the congregation with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament after a brief moment of adoration.
