Body and Blood of Christ Yr C 2025

Title

Proclaim and Apply Victory

Outline

There is a tendency in our world to view the proclamation of a death as a memorial

Some ecclesial communities and also family and other non-ecclesial groups will hold a remembrance service for the deceased or a memorial service, in both cases when they are not holding a funeral. It is the time for us to do our grieving and to keep present the memory of the deceased.

What a difference the Scripture makes

First, Melchizedek brought bread and wine to bless a living victor who was present before him and to bless God Most High who had given the victory through Abram. Abram recognized Melchizedek as king by giving him the king’s portion.

Here we have the archetypal Eucharist with both Abram and Melchizedek as types of Jesus Christ as both king and priest. We are not talking about remembering the dead, but about recognizing the ruling and delivering presence of the living including the living God.

Second, Jesus demonstrates the presence of the kingdom of God by providing for real needs of the people with a king’s largesse and a divine source. They start doubtful but end celebrating the presence of the kingdom of God in their midst that is visible in the 12 still full baskets in the midst of satisfied people.

Third, Paul passes on a tradition from the king himself, the Lord Jesus, the institution of a meal of bread and wine on the eve of his decisive battle with evil (don’t mess with it or you open yourself up to evil is what Paul also says) as a remembrance, a calling into presence, anamnesis, of Jesus and his covenant relationship with them. And while the royal victor’s death is proclaimed it is because he is alive and so “until he comes.”

Sisters, in the Eucharist we celebrate a life present not just a life well-lived

The victory is in the past from our perspective, but the priest-king is also present even if under the species of bread and wine, demonstrating his body and blood meeting out real needs. We celebrate this sacramentally so that he can be present in this world in every place at once. But we proclaim his victorious death because we live the hope of, not so much his coming, but of his transformation of us at his coming so that we can fully experience him.

It is no wonder that Haitians (as I heard this week) and Africans sing and dance. And while we pick up the more regal aspect of his presence, at least our hearts should sing.

And may God bless us.