Homily for the Feast of the Body and Blood of the Lord 2008

On Friday night we celebrated Confirmation with many children of the Parish. Today we welcome them to the Lord's Table as they make their First Communion.

During the 1980s, Ethiopia was in the grip of a devastating famine. It was caused partly by the effects of the long civil war in the region and partly by a succession of bad seasons. Many died as a result both of the war and the famine. During that time the story is told of a trip by the then Cardinal Hume of Westminster, London, to Ethiopia to see what help the Church could provide.

The Cardinal was taken by helicopter to an isolated village up in the hills. The people there were waiting for food drops and had received very little. As the Cardinal got out of the helicopter a small boy of about 10 years wearing nothing but a loin cloth came up to him and took him by the hand. For the duration of the visit he would not let go of the Cardinal's hand. The people there did not speak English and he did not speak their language. As they walked around the village hand in hand the boy made two simple gestures. With one hand he pointed to his mouth, and with the other he took the Cardinal's hand and rubbed it on his cheek.

Across the barriers of language the small boy told of his, and our, two fundamental hungers. Hunger for food and hunger for love. In the reading from Deuteronomy today Moses tells the people that we do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Bread that is not given and shared with love is not nourishing for the spirit.

In the Eucharist the sign of food, bread and wine, points to and brings about the nourishment we need, food for the soul and mind and heart and body. Jesus is the very word that comes from the mouth of God. Indeed he is every word God has spoken to us. He is God's word of Love to us. He it is we hear in the Scripture proclaimed. He it is who becomes our food in holy communion. Let us thank him today for that gift.

Just before we come to the Table for Communion we pray: "Only say the word and I shall be healed." St Thomas Aquinas with that in mind wrote the following reflection:

"As one who is infirm, I draw near to the healer of life.

As one who is unclean, to the fountain of mercy.

As one who is blind, to the light of eternal brightness.

As one who is poor and needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth."

The Jesus we receive is our crucified and risen Lord. Jesus is the wounded healer who has healed us by his wounds. Few of us are spared being wounded by life as well as by our own mistakes. As we receive his mercy in the Eucharist may we be more aware of the wounds of others and be wounded healers for them.

Fr Graham