Feast of Corpus Christi. In a special homily, Father Dave reflects on the reading from the feast of Corpus Christi in which Moses reads the law to the Israelites. Father Dave points out that the people enthusiastically agreed to follow the law that the Lord gave to Moses by saying yes in their hearts.
Father Dave discusses the presence of contracts in the Old Testament, “Think of how you would enter into a contract today, let’s say at a car dealership. You might actually read over all the terms and realize now there are some things you won’t agree to. But the Isrealites don’t overanalyze. They just say yes.”
He relates this concept to belief in the Eucharist. “Recent surveys show that fewer than 30% of American Catholics believe, understand, or sign off on our teaching about the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ that truly is Christ’s presence. We just heard from Mark’s Gospel that scene in the upper room where [the Apostles] are doing what they’ve done many times before. They’re familiar with the ritual of the Passover supper, but Jesus switches it up and he takes the bread. And he says, ‘This is my body.’”
“We believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist,” Father Dave continues. “But I would suggest that in order to embrace that, we would be hard pressed to overthink it because just like Trinity Sunday, last Sunday, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. How could it possibly be truly Christ’s body and his blood? … I think the Church is inviting us today, particularly by choosing these readings, to say yes with our hearts. I, as a priest, have a degree in theology. I don’t know what it means every single time I receive or celebrate Mass, but I know that when I say yes with my heart that makes the difference.”Father Dave explains what it means when we respond “Amen” to receiving the Eucharist. “We’re saying ‘I believe.’ We’re not saying I could write a paper theologically describing how that’s true, or I’ve analyzed it with a microscope. But we’re saying ‘I believe with my heart.’” He encourages us to say yes with our hearts to the Eucharist. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 6-06-21