THE HOMILY

THE EUCHARIST IS OUR FOOD AND DRINK FOR LIFE.

PURPOSES

·         To give collective thanks for CHRIST for His presence in our midst in the Eucharist. Though CHRIST is not physically present with us.

·         To instruct people about the mystery, Faith add devotion surrounding the Eucharist.

·         To also teach us to appreciate and make use of the great gift of the Eucharist.

HISTORY

This feast started in the apostolic time when Jesus offered Himself to His Disciples during the Last Supper.

The church though celebrates the Eucharist everyday during mass but had not given it any special day to celebrate it. The feast began on 1228 but got firm in 1268. One saint Juliana had a vision and saw the full moon which represented the church, but in the moon was a black spot which meant a lack of such a feast.

As the church was preparing to consider it an incident occurred where, a present celebrating mass doubted the real presence of the body and blood of CHRIST in the Eucharist; it turned out to be blood and flesh.

FIRST READING

Israel was in a crossroad and had no solution to their problems. That was why their leader Moses was admonishing them not to worry but to remember and not to forget what the Lord had done for their fathers. Since it was not the first time they had suffered such faith.

They had had;

1.    Hunger

2.    Thirst

3.    Met poisonous snakes

4.    Gotten lost

5.    Met stiffer opposition

But in all God solved them. In the midst of hunger, God gave them manner to eat. In thirst, He gave them water from the rock. That was to show them that Man does not live by bread alone, but in every word that comes from God.

GOSPLE

Jesus, the word made flesh is presented to us and He tells us, He is the Holy bread which has come down from heaven and anyone who eats it will live forever and the bread is flesh and body.

REASON WHY WE HAVE REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE

1.    LACK OF EDUCATION.

2.    UNBAPTIZED ADULT. The only way to receive communion is to be baptized but most people have not baptized, some were boarders at school, adult convert etc.

3.    EARLY COPULATION. The youth engage in early intimate relationships which makes them feel they are not worthy to dine with the Lord. Most of them know it that there is danger ahead but they still live by it.

4.    DELAYS IN BLESSING OF MARRIAGES. Most people have not even gone to perform their traditional rites but stay together as marriage couples. They then conceive (pregnant) and it becomes difficult for them to bless their marriage.

EFFECTS OF NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST.

1.    Lack of unity (2^nd reading).

2.    Lack of transformation.

3.    Less participation in churches activities.

4.    Inability to hold leadership position in the church.

LESSONS

1.    Message of unity and sacrificial love.

2.    We need to prepare properly before we receive the body and blood of Christ;

·         Repentance

·         Confession

·         Prayer disposition

3.    We become the bearers of CHRIST.

By;

REV. FR CLEMENT ADDO FORDWOUR