Corpus Christi - Remember and Give Thanks

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus. Once again we will gather to remember the goodness of God and to give thanks.

For our Jewish ancestors, remembering the goodness of God wasn’t just simple recall, it was a way of life. We witness this in the psalms of lament. When the people lamented their present situation, they called upon Yahweh to remember how he had been there for them in the past, as a God who was gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness. Remembering that God had acted on their behalf in the past lead them to hope that God would act in the same way on their behalf in the present. That lead them to trust that their situation would change and culminated in vows to praise, bless, and give thanks to God. Praising, blessing and giving thanks to God was celebrated in rituals such as meals, festivals and blessings.

Like our Jewish ancestors, our remembering leads to blessing and thanksgiving. We gather in order to ask God to remember us, but we also come together so that we can be reminded about the goodness of God. We are reminded of God’s goodness from the moment we walk into church. When we are warmly welcomed, we are reminded of God’s hospitality. When we bless ourselves with holy water, we are reminded that God has chosen us. When we witness the faith of our fellow parishioners who are struggling, we are reminded that God is living and active. When we listen to the scriptures and hear how God acted in the past, we are reminded that God is faithful. And when we hear the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are reminded that God’s love is beyond our human comprehension.