Corpus Christi 2025
At every Mass, we affirm a bold belief—that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. This mystery invites not only faith in Christ’s Real Presence but a call to live as his Body in the world. Corpus Christi reminds us that the Eucharist is both a sacred gift and a mission of love that Christ continues through us.
Listen to homily here:
Every time we come to Mass, we participate in a special ritual. We walk down the aisle toward the priest or Eucharistic minister—perhaps to receive a blessing, but more often to receive the Eucharist. The minister holds up a small host and says, “The Body of Christ.” We respond, “Amen,” a word derived from Hebrew meaning “truly” or “so be it.”
In that brief and simple interaction, we come face to face with one of the greatest mysteries of our Catholic faith: that small host is truly the Body of Jesus Christ. Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi—the Body and Blood of our Lord—we are invited to reflect deeply on this mystery.
It’s important to acknowledge that belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is not always easy. Surveys in recent years have highlighted this challenge. One such study, conducted by the CARA Institute at Georgetown University—a Catholic research center—found that only about two-thirds of Catholics believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. This is a difficult and demanding belief.
One way we can approach this mystery and perhaps dispel misconceptions is to return to the Church’s teaching on transubstantiation. Though the word might sound technical or outdated, it offers a helpful insight. Transubstantiation refers to our belief that during the consecration at Mass, the substance of the bread and wine becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. While the outward appearance, taste, and smell remain unchanged, something fundamental—the substance—has been transformed.
This concept, drawn from ancient and medieval philosophical thought, reminds us that what is most essential in the Eucharist is not what we perceive with our senses, but what we trust by faith. We believe the bread and wine become Jesus because he told us so, and Jesus is trustworthy. In today’s second reading from 1 Corinthians, we hear Paul recount Christ’s words at the Last Supper: “This is my Body… this is my Blood.” Our faith is rooted in these words.
To help strengthen this faith, the Church has also preserved stories of Eucharistic miracles—extraordinary signs throughout history that testify to the Real Presence. One of the oldest occurred in the eighth century, when a monk celebrating Mass in Europe was struggling with doubt. During the consecration, the host and the wine were said to have turned visibly into human flesh and blood. Centuries later, in the 1970s, these relics were examined and confirmed to be of human origin.
Another such event occurred in the 13th century. Again, a priest doubted the Real Presence, and during Mass, the host began to bleed, staining the altar cloth. When the pope at the time, Urban IV, heard of the event, he instituted the feast of Corpus Christi to refocus the Church on the gift and mystery of the Eucharist.
While belief in such miracles is not required, they can support our faith. Ultimately, we believe in the Eucharist because Jesus said: “This is my Body.” Our trust is in his word.
Yet our faith in the Eucharist doesn’t end there. We are also called to believe that Jesus is present in our community. As St. Paul reminds the Corinthians, the Church itself is the Body of Christ. In his letter, Paul addresses troubling divisions within the community—particularly between the rich and the poor. Some were using the celebration of the Eucharist to exclude or elevate themselves over others. Paul points out that this contradicts the very meaning of the Eucharist, which is Christ’s self-gift, offered in love for all.
He challenges the Corinthians—and us—not only to receive the Body of Christ but to become the Body of Christ. The Eucharist is not simply something we consume; it is something we are called to live. It is both mystery and mission. When we receive the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and with one another, and we are sent to continue his mission of love in the world.
This, too, requires faith. It is not always easy to believe that Jesus works through us. We may feel unworthy, overwhelmed, or unsure what we can offer. The challenges we face in our families, workplaces, or communities may seem far beyond what we can handle.
But in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us something essential. When the disciples tell Jesus to send the crowds away for food, he replies, “You give them something to eat.” They have very little—just a few loaves and fish—but Jesus takes their humble offering and multiplies it. With it, he nourishes thousands.
This is what Christ does with us. He takes whatever we offer—our time, our gifts, our love—and he transforms it to bless others. When we act in service, when we respond with compassion, Jesus is present and active through us.
So today, as we say Amen to the Body of Christ, let us do so with renewed faith. Let us affirm these three great truths:
Christ is truly present in the Eucharist.
Christ is truly present in our community—the Church.
Christ is truly at work in each one of us, using our gifts to bring healing, grace, and peace to the world.
This is the mystery of the Eucharist. And it is our mission.
