One of the greatest entertainers of all time was Bob Hope and his signature song was “thanks for the memories”. At the end of every TV show or live performance, including those in front of thousands of troops, decade after decade, Bob Hope would sing “thanks for the memories”. And the lyrics taught us to be thankful for all the little things in our lives. It was always a touching moment when Bob Hope sang “thanks for the memories”.
All of us gathered here today have many memories; and hopefully a vast majority of them are memories we would be thankful for. We have memories of family and friends, of days gone by and so much more.
As people of faith, do we gather today in a spirit of thanksgiving and remember the great gift of the Body & Blood of Jesus Christ?
On this great feast day we hear proclaimed in the Gospel the feeding of the multitudes with five loaves and two fish. Now Scripture tells us that the crowd numbers five thousand men. This probably equates to a total crowd of fifteen to twenty thousand counting women and children. Despite the vast numbers Jesus instructs the disciples to sit the crowd in groups of fifty and then he blesses, breaks and gives so the disciples can distribute the food to all. And Scripture tells us: they all ate and were satisfied.
In this beautiful Gospel we see here the celebration of the Mass; the Eucharist. We have the Liturgy of the Word as Jesus is speaking to the crowds. And we have the Liturgy of the Eucharist as Jesus takes the simple elements of fish and bread and satisfies all who came to him.
The sublime gift of the Eucharist is more than feeding a hungry crowd gathered on a hillside. In the Eucharist, Jesus continues to feed us, as he feed this crowd, but the bread is not mere bread; it is the Bread of eternal life. It is His Body and it satisfies us fully even now.
The second reading today from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians also teaches us about the Eucharist and affirms the real presence of Christ’s Body & Blood in the bread and wine. St. Paul is writing several decades after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus yet he tells us about the real presence. And how does Paul know? Paul tells us clearly; I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you. And then he proclaims the words of Jesus from Holy Thursday which are handed on and still are the words of institution at every Mass around the world, every day some two thousand years later. This is my body…this is the cup of my blood…do this in remembrance of me.
Today we sing in one of our great Eucharistic hymns, we remember, we celebrate, we believe.
What do we believe? How do we describe the Eucharist to those who have doubts? Can we proclaim full throated and with sincere hearts that we receive Jesus? Do we see bread and wine with eyes or do we see Jesus, body-blood-soul and divinity, with eyes of faith? Do we give thanks and do we remember? Do we, pondering on the greatest gift of self: Jesus Christ’s own body and blood blessed, broken and given to us, remember and give Him thanks?
Eucharist: the very word means thanks-giving. And what do we give thanks for? Just as bread satisfies our natural hunger, this bread of life, the Eucharist, satisfies our supernatural hunger.
And what should our response be to receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus? Of course thanksgiving as we have touched upon but there is more. As we sing in another Eucharistic song: “we become what we believe”. Just as the gift of Jesus’ Body and Blood is the revelation of the very kingdom of God, we are called to share our resources, even if they be meager, so that this sharing can become spiritual nourishment for those we share with. This is the model Jesus gives us.
As we prepare to receive the Eucharist today and then go out and face the week ahead can we focus on a spirit of thanksgiving? Can we give thanks for the little things that we so often take for granted? And can we focus, in this same spirit of thanksgiving, on those who we need to share with? Perhaps we are called to share from our material possessions with those who have less, and we can do that here at home through our poor boxes, our own St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Covington Food Bank. But perhaps we too are called to share a laugh, a smile, our love, and our very selves with someone so desperately in need of such kindness. Can we this week truly focus on becoming what we believe; becoming what we receive.
There is another Eucharistic song that says: “I received the living God, and my heart is full of joy!” May we receive the living Jesus, body and blood, soul and divinity and be full of joy; joy to share with all we encounter.
Thanks for the memories!
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