Sermon – The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – June 7, 2026

Today the Church celebrates The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

The Holy Eucharist, today, passes through many streets of cities all over the world, to be worshipped by all.

Beautiful tapestries are made throughout the city to honor Jesus' presence in the Eucharist.

The decision to declare the feast of Corpus Christi for the entire Church was made by Pope Urban IV through the document "Transiturus de hoc mundo," published on August 11, 1264.

Behind this decision lay the increasing worship of the Eucharist in the 13th century, particularly influenced by the mystical experiences of Juliana of Liège and the Miracle of the Eucharist in Bolsena.

In the document, Urban IV explains why a special feast dedicated to the Eucharist, in addition to Holy Thursday, is appropriate.

One of the most frequently quoted passages is as follows:

“Although the Eucharist is celebrated every day, we believe it is fair that at least once a year a more solemn and dignified ceremony should be held in its memory.”

Today is the only day of the year; today, the Eucharist is carried in processions through the streets of the cities. Jesus walks out of the churches and through the city.

In fact, today we celebrate the actual presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

When did Jesus reveal his presence to us in the Eucharist?

As we know, it was at the Last Supper. On that day, Jesus initiated the Eucharist and the priesthood.

As we read in the Bible today, Jesus says: This is my body and this is my blood! Jesus didn't say it resembled his body and blood, but he said it was his body and blood.

And because Jesus is God, the power of his word transforms bread into his body and wine into his blood.

This is why the Eucharist is spiritual nourishment that strengthens our souls.

In the Bible, Jesus explicitly states:

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of it will live forever, and my body is the bread I give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

When we receive communion, we receive true life, which comes directly from God.

The miracle of the Eucharist occurs every day when we celebrate the Holy Mass. When the Mass is performed, the body and blood of Christ are truly present.

The appearances are bread and wine, but in reality, they are Body and Blood.

Many other miracles around the world have been linked to the Eucharist.

Around the world, there have been instances where bread has visibly transformed into meat or wine into visibly, scientifically proven blood.

The Eucharist is not an imaginary form of Jesus, it is not just bread. Jesus is truly there in the Body, Blood, Spirit, and Divinity.

So, when in the Sacrament does bread become the Body and wine become the Blood?

After the priest uttered the blessings, "This is my body" and "This is my blood," the bread turned into Jesus' body and the wine into Jesus' blood.

This is why today's holiday is so important.

Therefore, every effort was made to prepare a carpet on which Jesus could walk.

Because we are preparing for the arrival of a King.

And if we pause to consider whom we accept – and who is far more than just a king – we must do so much more!

Likewise, we should keep this in mind as we prepare to receive Jesus into our souls.

All the preparations we make to celebrate Jesus' actual presence in the Eucharist, we must also make within ourselves to receive Him.

We must always consider even the smallest details. Because when we accept communion, our souls are returned to the Church, the home where Jesus came to reside.

And we cannot accept Him in a place defiled by sin. That would be like throwing the Eucharist to the ground, or worse, into the trash.

When a person receives Holy Communion while in a state of sin or unprepared, it is not true communion but an act of devotion to the sacred.

Pope Leo XIII, in his document Mirae Caritatis , teaches the following:

• “The Eucharist should be seen as the central point where all forms of religiosity converge.”

• "The Eucharist is the most awe-inspiring and powerful link between people and Christ."

One modern-day example of someone who greatly loved the Eucharist is Saint Carlo Acutis. During his lifetime, he produced some online works on the Eucharist.

This saint passed away in 2006 at the age of 15, and his body is still well-preserved and remains in Assisi.

Above all, Saint Charles sought to place the Eucharist, which he called "my highway to heaven," at the center of his life.

He always tried to worship the Eucharist, believing that "in the Eucharist, one becomes a saint before Jesus."

Other saints have also written about the importance of the Eucharist. Saint Afonso Maria de Ligório said:

“Of all forms of worship, worshiping Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is the one that pleases God most and is most beneficial to us.”

Saint Peter and Julien Eymard used to say:

• “Worship is man’s first duty; it is to offer God what is worthy of Him.”

• "The worship of the Eucharist is the sun of Christian life."

Saint Teresa of Calcutta used to say:

“The time you spend with Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist is the most beautiful time you will ever spend on earth.”

So, what should we do when faced with the great mystery of the Eucharist?

We are all called to worship Jesus in the Eucharist.

After communion, we should draw upon the presence of Jesus within ourselves to be able to pray.

After the service, it is very important to spend some time speaking quietly with Jesus.

God wants to stay with us until the end, and we must show that we want to stay with Him until the end.

We will be having worship all afternoon today, please dedicate some of your time to Jesus. It can be 30 minutes, an hour, or the whole afternoon.

Every moment we spend in the presence of Jesus is precious and brings many blessings to our lives.

May Mary teach us the true and profound value that the Eucharist should hold for us.