Not too long ago I attended a wedding celebrated in the Hindu tradition. It was full of many symbolic actions. For example, the parents of the bride and groom were on the dais with the bride and groom throughout the ceremony, and the parents had certain parts in it — signifying not just the joining of two individuals but the joining of two families. The bride and groom purified their hands at one point, ate ceremonial food and were bound together with an ornamental rope. These symbols told us invited guests that we were watching a fundamental change taking place — from being single to being married, from being two people to becoming one couple. Today, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, is also a feast about fundamental change, a fundamental change that happened for the whole human race. Jesus used symbols of bread and wine to tell us that God has taken, and still is taking, humanity into his own life, and is establishing a spousal relationship with us. It is easy to take our weekly Eucharist for granted. Today’s feast invites us to pause and focus on this weekly transformative moment, which continues God’s ongoing attention and intention in our present time. Each week we, the body of Christ, are united with the Eucharistic Body of Christ in a covenant renewal more profound than any wedding! It is not a mere mental thing but is an act of God happening in real time and touching our bodies as well as our souls.
– Blog entry by Sister Mary Garascia