Homily: Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter - Ave Verum Corpus

Today’s Gospel is the last in a series of readings from John, Chapter 6, what is called the Bread of Life discourse.  Jesus has talked about how the food he gives is not just physical food, but food that does not perish; how it is the bread of life, and that those who eat this bread will be raised on the last day.

Today Jesus perhaps gives the hardest part of the teaching on the Eucharist, this bread of life is his flesh and his blood; we are to eat of it, if we are to have eternal life with Him.

This shocking statement started a quarrel amongst the disciples; and as a result of their inability to accept this teaching, some of those who had begun to follow Jesus, turned away from him and went back to their former way of life.  Nevertheless, Jesus did not recant or even modify His terminology.

St. Thomas Aquinas maintained that believing that Eucharist is truly the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ is a truly challenging doctrine.  The Eucharist does not look like Christ; thus tests our faith.  But we believe it because this teaching comes from the Lord himself.

There is a short Eucharistic hymn from the 14^th century called Ave Verum Corpus, emphasizing our Catholic belief that the Eucharist is truly Jesus’ flesh and blood.   Mozart has a beautiful rendition of this hymn, which we sometimes sing today when we are daring to sing a latin hymn.  Ave Verum Corpus – Hail true flesh born of the Virgin Mary who having truly suffered, was sacrificed on the cross for mankind, whose pierced side flowed with water and blood: May it be for us a foretaste of the Heavenly banquet in the trial of death.  O sweet Jesus, O Jesus Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me.

This hymn was sung sometimes during the elevation of the host at Mass or at benediction, again to proclaim our belief that in the Catholic Mass bread and wine are truly changed into the flesh and blood of Christ.

Many Catholics leave the faith by first walking away from the table, like those early disciples who walked away when the Lord gave this teaching. 

Saint John Paul II wrote at the turn of the century: “The Eucharistic Bread which we receive is the spotless flesh of Mary: Ave verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine. Sustained by Mary, may the Church discover new enthusiasm for her mission and come to acknowledge ever more fully that the Eucharist is the source and summit of her entire life.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.