Homily: Corpus Christi, YR C
“They all ate and were satisfied.”
by Fr. William Holtzinger
June 10, 2007
“They all
ate and were satisfied.” (Repeat this phrase several times with a
change in emphasis each time.)
I’ve
repeated this phrase from the Gospel in order for us to hear it afresh
each time. This phrase is packed with all kinds of opportunities for
reflection.
It says
that they all ate. How many was that? We hear that there were 5,000
men, yet do you think they come by themselves? No. They came with
their families. So, we can guestimate that there were many women and
children to add to that number. Imagine a crowd of easily 10,000
people. That’s like half the Rose Garden Arena. That’s a lot of
people.
All those
present ate. They were clearly hungry. But, while they were hungry for
food, their spiritual hunger was greater for that is what kept them
there. So, not only are we talking about a physical hunger, but also a
spiritual hunger. In both cases, Jesus responded to them. And they
received his gift and ate. Clearly this is an image of the Eucharist.
We also have physical as well as spiritual hunger, and the Eucharist is
there for both. Obviously, nobody fills up with one host, but
spiritually, because it is Jesus who we receive, there is the potential
for us to be filled.
The
Scriptures say that they were satisfied not over-stuffed. Have you ever
had over eaten such that you ache afterwards? We all have. But with
the Eucharist, the food given by Jesus, we will never be over-filled.
His presence in the Eucharist will be what we need for the journey of
our lives. Think about your deepest desire, your life-long longing.
Jesus’ presence will completely satisfy you. Why were they satisfied?
Because it was Jesus who fed them. Unlike the manna their ancestors ate
in the desert from which they fed and still died, the bread Jesus
offered gave them eternal life.
Do we
believe this? Some studies show that 60% of Catholics don’t believe in
the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I doubt these studies
seriously. With a background in statistics, I know how easy it is to
manipulate the results purely on how one asks the questions. So, I
wonder who they asked. Did they ask Catholics who go to Church each
week or ones that don’t go at all? These can really change the results.
I think
it’s safe to say that we are all searching. We are all in need in some
way. Many of you are looking for purpose and meaning. Some of you have
lost it. During the time of St. Anthony many people had lost faith,
including the clergy who were guilty of many abuses. Through the
evangelical zeal and preaching of St. Francis and his helpers like St.
Anthony, the Church was reawakened to the faith. Today, as we celebrate
our feast day of St. Anthony, may we once again find that which may be
lost in our lives. May God help you, as we see illustrated in our
statue of St. Anthony, carry within you the living Word of God. May you
once again thirst to know the Scriptures and the Eucharist. And by
encountering Christ in these ways, find whatever you may have lost, be
it faith, joy, peace, hope, or love. And then may you go out to the
world to love and serve the Lord and one another. Amen.