C, THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST HOMILY, LUKE 9:11-17 JUNE 22, 2025
1. STORY
John was a
popular teacher who at Christmas received gifts from his students. Each Christmas when he received a gift of a
long thin box, he knew it was a tie. He
would put it into a drawer without opening it. Over the years, he accumulated many such
boxes. One day when he was preparing to
attend a wedding, he took out one of the gifts looking for a tie to wear. When he opened one of the boxes, he was
shocked to find not a tie but a very valuable watch. What looked like an ordinary tie box turned
out to be something very special. Jesus
ate many ordinary meals withy people. However,
there was one meal that was not ordinary, the Last Supper, when he changed
bread and wine into his Body and Blood.
2. GOSPEL, LUKE
9:11-17
A) A LARGE CROWD
OF HUNGRY PEOPLE
i) People enjoyed
listening to Jesus’s preaching and receiving his help.
ii) One such day
a large crowd had been with Jesus all day and in the evening they were hungry.
iii) As they were
in a deserted place, it would be difficult for them to buy food.
iv) The disciples asked Jesus to send them away so that they could find food for themselves.
B) JESUS FEEDS
THE HUNGRY PEOPLE
i) Jesus asked if
there was any food available.
ii) There were
five loaves and two fish at hand.
iii) After Jesus
blessed this food he told the disciples to pass out the food.
iv) There was enough food to feed over
5,000 people with 12 baskets of food left over.
v) Jesus had the
power to multiply bread.
3. APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A) TODAY THERE
ARE MANY HUNGRY PEOPLE
i) Today there
are many physically and spiritually hungry people.
ii) Spiritually
hungry people are unhappy, not at peace, not sure of the purpose of life, and
do not have the strength to change for the better.
iii) Jesus has
the power to spiritually feed these people.
B) THE EUCHARIST,
THE BREAD OF LIFE
i) Just as Jesus
had the power to multiply bread, he had the power to change bread and wine into
his Body and Blood.
ii) He gave this
power to priests through the Church.
iii) How blessed
we are being able to receive this wonderful gift at Mass.
We should take
every effort to receive the Eucharist at each Mass we attend. Through this gift, Jesus gives us strength to
live a happy and peaceful life.
4. CONCLUSION
i) John was very
surprised, when looking for a tie, he found a valuable watch. Jesus ate many ordinary meals. However, there was one very special meal, the
Last Supper, when he changed bread and wine into the Body and Blood.
ii) Jesus
multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish making it possible to feed over
5,000 people.
iii) Through the
Eucharist, Jesus gives us spiritual strength to be happy and at peace. We thank Jesus for this precious gift of
spiritual food. We should receive the
Eucharist at every Mass we attend.
