It has taken me most of my life to learn how to be patient. I still struggle with it but have adopted a better perspective. This new found approach comes from watching and admiring mothers rearing of small children, whether they have help or do not.
What does this have to do with our readings and Gospel today?
One of the most frightening times in my early life happened when I was on a road trip from Chicago to a resort in Wisconsin in a rain storm with a raging wind from a tornado that tore off my windshield wipers. In addition to that, the bottom of the tornado’s funnel cloud touched land about 50 feet from me and forced the car to the side of the road. To say the least, I was frantically praying to God during this dark time asking Him to protect me from harm.
A few days ago my wife discovered some pictures of our family move from Illinois to California as we stopped to visit the Grand Canyon. One was of the six of us looking down into the canyon and remembering the remark by one of our children saying it’s just a big hole in the ground. Another was of my youngest on my shoulders who a week earlier wouldn’t talk or be near me because she was angry I had been away for a long period of time to set up our new life across country. I remarked to her when she saw the picture that it was a journey that changed our lives forever. Though she had no memory at the age of two about the trip, she agreed with my comment.
The solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) focuses primarily on the adoration of the Holy Eucharist and secondarily on the presence of the Body of Christ in the Church as a sign of common faith. In other words we, His disciples, are the Body of Christ who believe in the real sacramental presence of Christ in the Eucharist, not just a symbol of eating a wafer. He, Jesus, the Son of God, is physically and spiritually present in our bodies we carry with us throughout the day.
