Corppus Christi: The expression of devotion and faith

The feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ was introduced to the whole church by Pope Urban IV in 1264. However, different Christian communities had been celebrating this feast long before, out of their faith and devotion to the Holy Eucharist. It was primarily a processional feast that quickly spread throughout Christendom. On that feast, Christians carry the Eucharist in a kind of canopy, and they move in long and coloUrful processions as they praise the Lord. When planning for the course of their processions, many Christians choose to follow the paths, streets or roads through their villages, towns and cities which are normally decorated the day before the celebration takes place. It is so fascinating to observe the way different Christians decorate where they pass carrying the Sacrament; the symbols and pictures they use, already express their feelings in terms of their adoration and faith in the Sacrament of Eucharist. Christians do so many things planning for this colourful liturgy and as they move in the procession, they surely feel that this liturgy belongs to them in a very particular way. As one moves in this long and unbroken procession, one gets a feeling of being involved in a dramatic re-enactment of the whole course of salvation history. During this feast and in the procession, the risen Christ, present in the Eucharist and in the Church, moves in company with his people throughout their ordinary ways and lives. It is interesting to note that in many parts of the world the feast is celebrated with traditional rituals involving music and dance. In fact, the feast is truly a classic example of the liturgy “from below”, as many people paint the festival from within their hearts and in accordance to their own different tests of color. It is precisely because of the above way of expressing devotion and faith that Pope Urban IV approved this feast and procession of Corpus Christi to be adopted by the universal church. One of the main themes of the day is the union of Christians around the sacrament of Eucharist. In their meditation, Christians remember the words of St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, after his involvement in their various disputes. From his own experience of dealing with his fractious community over different issues, Paul teaches that by sharing the body and blood of Christ, Christians celebrate the communion with the body of Jesus broken on the cross and the blood poured out for us. This creates the deepest union among Christians; a union that should not be broken very easily. It is therefore this kind of pact that Christians try to cement in the procession of the feast of Corpus Christi. As they march with the Sacrament, they send the message to all who care to see and listen that they stand to be counted as the friends and followers of Christ. During the procession, each Christian renews his or her engagement and commitment to the Christian way of life. It is very interesting to watch Christians from all walks of life, rubbing shoulders in procession, following the enshrined Host, often carrying symbols of their trade and craft. This reminds us that the Eucharist is our food for our everyday journey of life. On such a journey, Christians have a mixed feeling; the joy of resurrection on one hand, and the sorrow over death on the other hand, especially the death of Jesus on the cross. On that feast, unlike on other occasions, the Eucharist we receive and enshrine is not simply a meal or an object of adoration. During this feast’s procession it looks more of a memorial of a life given for others. It is therefore an occasion for each individual Christian in the procession to remember how much he or she owes his or her savior. Historically, the feast also reminds us of the importance of liturgy “from the people”. In our century as in no other, the Church has taken root in many diverse cultures. Just as devotions and rituals emerged in the Middle Ages, which celebrated how God’s love touched ordinary life, contemporary cultures will add to rich tapestry of Catholic devotion. It is in this line that on the feast of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we carry out the Holy Sacrament and show to our savior around. As individual Christians, we introduce him into our way of life within our surroundings. Whenever Jesus is introduced into our life, something special happens. We become proud of publicly identifying ourselves with him. We feel the need to offer ourselves to him so that he can keep living, suffering, giving himself up and rising again in us. This is why Paul insists that before our encounter with Christ, we must recollect ourselves (1Cor 11:28), and decide if we are ready to let the life of Jesus in us. Of course we are aware that identifying ourselves with Christ is not very easy humanly speaking. We need to be transformed into the person of Jesus. From our daily experience, we must know that this is not very easy. In fact if the Eucharist is to have any effect it must be received in faith, that is, we must be ready to be transformed into Jesus. It is in the measure that we have been transformed by the Eucharist that we shall be able to send the right signals to others who see us in the procession. Only if we try to allow ourselves to be transformed into Jesus, shall we be able to say that our life is lit up by the Eucharist. It is of course a slow and laborious process. But by listening to the World of God and sharing the Body and Blood of Christ, God will work this miracle in us and every time we are in the procession of the feast of Corpus Christi, we shall be able to raise our head and identify ourselves with him. That in turn, will enable us to proudly stand up in the procession on the feast of Corpus Christi of each year and teach other Christians to do the same. Contact: casimir1958@yahoo.com