Pope Francis "... because of that testament of love, the Christian community gathers every Sunday, and every day, around the Eucharist, the sacrament of the redemptive Sacrifice of Christ. " FULL TEXT + Video
St. Peter's Square
Solemnity of the Corpus Domini
Sunday, 3 June 2018
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today in many countries, among which Italy, the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is celebrated, or, according to the most famous Latin expression, the solemnity of the Body of our Lord. The Gospel brings us the words of Jesus, pronounced at the Last Supper with his disciples: "Take, this is my body". And then: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many" (Mk 14,22.24). Precisely because of that testament of love, the Christian community gathers every Sunday, and every day, around the Eucharist, the sacrament of the redemptive Sacrifice of Christ. And attracted by his real presence, Christians adore him and contemplate him through the humble sign of the bread that became his Body.
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, through this sober and so solemn sacrament, we experience the New Covenant, which fully realizes the communion between God and us. And as participants in this Covenant, we, even small and poor, collaborate in building history as God wants. Therefore, every Eucharistic celebration, while it constitutes an act of public worship to God, refers to the life and concrete events of our existence. While we nourish ourselves with the Body and Blood of Christ, we are assimilated to him, we receive his love in us, not to keep him jealously, but to share it with others. This logic is inscribed in the Eucharist we receive his love in us and we share it with others. This is the Eucharistic logic. In fact we contemplate Jesus broken and given bread, blood shed for our salvation. It is a presence that burns selfish attitudes in us, purifies us from the tendency to give only when we have received, and ignites the desire to make us too, in union with Jesus, broken bread and blood shed for our brothers.
Therefore, the feast of Corpus Domini is a mystery of attraction to Christ and of transformation in him. And it is a school of concrete love, patient and sacrificed, like Jesus on the cross. It teaches us to become more welcoming and available to those in search of understanding, help, encouragement, and are marginalized and alone. The presence of Jesus alive in the Eucharist is like a door, an open door between the temple and the road, between faith and history, between the city of God and the city of man.
The expression of popular Eucharistic piety is the processions with the Blessed Sacrament, which are held in many countries today in today's solemnity. This evening too, in Ostia - as Blessed Paul VI did 50 years ago - I will celebrate Mass, which will be followed by the procession with the Blessed Sacrament. I invite everyone to participate, even spiritually, through radio and television. May Our Lady accompany us on this day.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Yesterday, in Naples, Blessed Sister Maria Crocifissa of the Divine Love was proclaimed, Maria Gargani, foundress of the Sisters Apostles of the Sacred Heart. Padre Pio's spiritual daughter, she was a true apostle in the school and parish field. His example and his intercession support his spiritual daughters and all educators. To the new Blessed an applause, all: we salute her!
I join my brother Bishops of Nicaragua in expressing sorrow for the serious violence, with dead and wounded, carried out by armed groups to suppress social protests. I pray for the victims and their families. The Church is always for dialogue, but this requires an active commitment to respect freedom and above all life. I pray that all violence should cease and the conditions for the resumption of dialogue as soon as possible.
I greet all of you, pilgrims from Italy and from different countries. In particular, those of Helsinki, Huelva (Spain), Peuerbach (Austria), and Croatia. I greet the faithful of Caturano and Palermo, as well as the company "Siderinox" of Abbiategrasso and the cresimandi of Corridonia.
I address a special greeting to the faithful gathered today at Sotto il Monte, with the Bishop of Bergamo, on the anniversary of the death of Saint John XXIII. The pilgrimage in the Bergamo area of the spoils of this Pontiff, so loved by the people, can arouse generous good intentions in all.
And I wish you all a happy Sunday. Please do not forget to pray for me. Good lunch and goodbye!
Text Source Vatican.va - Unofficial Translation -
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