"Corpus Christi" and Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Did you ever marvel at the beauty of the Liturgical Year? It enables us, by God’s Grace to “re-live” each year – in an ever more profound way – the Life of Christ on this earth. From Advent at the beginning of the Church Year to the Feast of Christ the King at the end, it offers us so many opportunities to ponder the great Goodness of God to us.

This Sunday, we see on our calendars that most of us will be celebrating the Feast of “Corpus Christi” (Latin for “Body of Christ”). I’m not sure, but there may be some dioceses which keep this Feast on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. Whenever it is celebrated it is for Catholics a glorious mystery of God’s Love in the Holy Eucharist.

For me, as I ponder the teachings of the Catholic Church, I am especially grateful for the Church’s continued devotion to Mary as Mother and example for us. I cannot separate the Mother of God from her Son Jesus in my prayer, and more and more am I unable to separate her from the Trinity – since she is united with each of the Persons in such a special way. Of course Mary is merely human – she is not a Divine Person; she is not God, nor does the Church worship her as we worship only God, but the Word of God proves True in Mary’s song: “All generations shall call me blessed”.

The Feast of Corpus Christi primarily celebrates the Miracle of God’s Love in remaining with us substantially, “Body, and Blood, Soul and Divinity”, in the Blessed Sacrament. It also needs to be remembered that Christ lives spiritually in each of us by the power of the Indwelling Trinity. The Church is in a real way “Corpus Christi” – Body of Christ – Head and Members. Mary did not give birth only to the Head but she gave birth in a spiritual way to all of us in the order of Grace – spiritually and truly, she is our Mother.

There is an old hymn which was in my mind and heart yesterday, and it remains today:

Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, what shall I ask of thee?
I do not ask for the wealth of earth,
Nor the things that fade and flee,
But, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
This do I long to see,
The Bliss untold, which your arms enfold :
The Treasure upon your knee.

As I typed the words I thought of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s words to St. Juan Diego:

Am I not your mother? Are you not in the crossing of my arms?

 

[JoyToTheWhirled]

It is true, sometimes my heart which is protestant trained balks at the thought of Mary so intimately involved in everything of God, but the more I read True Devotion to Mary, the more I understand that she truly is the surest pathway to her Son in all things.

 

[Richard_White]

Thank you MariaChristi for yet another wonderful post! I, too, love the way that the Liturgical Year is created in such a way that we go through the Life of Christ anew in such an especial manner year after year. I also just realized the beauty of placing Trinity Sunday immediately after the Easter season ends with Pentecost, because God the Father was always evident to the Jewish people before the coming of Christ, then, with Holy Week and the Easter season, we have the Paschal Mystery of Our Lord Jesus, bringing His Mission to fruition, and then, at Pentecost, we have the coming of the Holy Spirit. In this way, all Three Divine Persons are revealed to us, making the following Sunday very fitting to honor God extra specially as the Blessed Trinity.

In addition, the Feast of Corpus Christi next Sunday will be a beautiful reminder of Our Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Our Blessed Mother Mary points us to Him, and helps us to unite to Him ever the greater.

May God bless you all, through Mary!

 

[MariaChristi]

It is true, sometimes my heart which is protestant trained balks at the thought of Mary so intimately involved in everything of God, but the more I read True Devotion to Mary, the more I understand that she truly is the surest pathway to her Son in all things.

Dear JoyToTheWhirled,

Thanks so much for your reply. God gives grace upon grace to every soul. You have begun your journey and have by God’s Grace discovered the loving Mother Jesus gave us from His Cross. The more we do as the apostle John did, when he heard Jesus say “Behold your Mother”, the more we see with eyes of faith.

St. John Paul II pondered Jesus’ words to John and wrote that when John obeyed Jesus’s words from the Cross, he not only saw Mary in a new way, but he took her into his own life. The original Greek translation of John’s words are translated “he took her into his home”, but the word “home” is not in the Greek. It says literally: “he took her into his own” and the meaning is deeper than “home”. The Greek language implies a taking her into his life and into his own being.

Your protestant-trained mind and heart may balk at the Catholic Church’s true devotion to Mary, but I believe God’s Grace is more powerful than human resistance. If we truly open ourselves to His grace, He gives more grace and we “see” more with eyes of faith. “True Devotion” has been a great blessing in my life also; I continue to thank God for the gift of Mary, my Mother and Model. She has brought me closer to Jesus, and continues to help me grow in Love for God and for all, as she learned from Jesus on this earth.

Again, thanks so much for your reply. Let us please pray for one another and for all those in most need of His Mercy, with Mary.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you MariaChristi for yet another wonderful post! I, too, love the way that the Liturgical Year is created in such a way that we go through the Life of Christ anew in such an especial manner year after year. I also just realized the beauty of placing Trinity Sunday immediately after the Easter season ends with Pentecost, because God the Father was always evident to the Jewish people before the coming of Christ, then, with Holy Week and the Easter season, we have the Paschal Mystery of Our Lord Jesus, bringing His Mission to fruition, and then, at Pentecost, we have the coming of the Holy Spirit. In this way, all Three Divine Persons are revealed to us, making the following Sunday very fitting to honor God extra specially as the Blessed Trinity.

In addition, the Feast of Corpus Christi next Sunday will be a beautiful reminder of Our Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Our Blessed Mother Mary points us to Him, and helps us to unite to Him ever the greater.

May God bless you all, through Mary!

Dear Richard,

Thanks for your reply. The Liturgical Year is something that I have “grown” with from childhood, but as it is with many facets of our Catholic Faith, we can begin to “see” things more fully, in time. God is Faithful and the more we open ourselves to His work within our souls, the more He gives us. By God’s grace, I continue to thank Him for all His gifts.

This year, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday have continued to be blessings for me, and as I prepare for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, I realize the Eucharist is far more than I can express. God so loved the world that He sent His Son, and when the Son had completed his work of Redemption, Jesus ascended to the Father, and They sent the Holy Spirit to empower His Church to live His Life.

Through the Church, we receive the Sacraments and begin sharing in the Divine Life infused into us at Baptism. In the Eucharist, we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in order to live as He did in love for God and others. The Church with Christ as her Head, and empowered by His Holy Spirit is to bring brothers and sisters home to our Father’s House. The Church is the Body of Christ, one with Him our Head. Mary is Mother of the Whole Christ, Head and members.

The Friday after Corpus Christi is the Feast of the Sacred Heart, followed on Saturday by the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. So much more to continue pondering!