The Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Well the story of this great feast dates back to those misty days of the 12^th century. There arose a controversy between two great theologians:  Berengarius and his nemesis, Peter Lombard. Theirs became an epic dispute, they went mano a mano over whether the bread and wine used at Mass actually become the Body and Blood of Christ. I suppose few of us sit around the dinner table regaling family members with the details of this great debate, but it was the talk of Europe and most certainly of the Church in those bygone times.
 
Berengarius, a flamboyant character and an able theologian argued that the substance of something was no different than its appearance, that is to say. “if something looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…it’s a duck!” Using more technical terms than “duck” and “quack” Berengarius argued that since the bread and wine at Mass do not change their appearance after being consecrated they most certainly remain what they had always been: bread and wine. Berengarius argued that the bread and wine were simply symbols of the body and blood of Christ. I can hear you all silently respond to Berengarius’ faulty argument, “Wrong!” And of course you are right. His was a new interpretation of the Eucharist, not following the Church’s traditional teaching that the bread most definitely becomes the Body of Christ and the wine becomes the Blood of Christ at the Consecration of the Mass.
 
Berengarius, evidently was not expecting his teaching to cause a stir, but he had never come across the likes of Peter Lombard: bishop of Paris and theologian extraordinaire. Peter, never one to pass up a good fight, came to the defense of the Catholic position. He argued that the appearance of something doesn’t determine what something is. Using more technical terms but basically saying “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” He argued that at the consecration the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, even though their appearance remains unchanged.
 
At the IV Lateran Council in 1215, the Church endorsed Peter Lombard’s articulation of the Church’s traditional teaching on the Eucharist. The word “transubstantiation” came into common use at this time to express the substantial change from bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ: the “Real Presence” of Christ. The Church never wanted there to be a doubt again about the “Real Presence” the bread and wine being changed into the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass; so, the Church highlighted this teaching through innovative liturgical practices. The priest elevating the host at Mass first took place in the city of Paris in 1220 and by the 1300’s had become commonplace. Other new practices were the ringing of bells at the elevation, the lighting of additional candles. These practices were to make the believer wake up at the consecration of the Mass and be aware of Christ’s “Real Presence” in the Eucharist. The feast of Corpus Christi, was first celebrated in the diocese of Liege in 1246. With the feast it became common to have Corpus Christi processions and out of these processions began the devotion of Benediction that became commonly celebrated in the 15^th century. 

The Mass, Eucharistic processions and Benediction: several years ago Pope Benedict XVI spoke in detail about these three Eucharistic celebrations and how each of them instruct us in our faith.

The Mass

At Mass the elements used are bread and wine: first, grain is gathered in and is ground to make the bread, just as grapes are gathered in and crushed to make the wine that is used. And in the Mass the bread and the wine becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. Why, there is a similar spiritual process for us who come to Mass. We individuals are gathered together: the rich and the poor, the popular and the unpopular, the beautiful and not so beautiful, the liberal and the conservative but at Mass all of these distinctions are to be ground as grain and crushed as grapes, we are to be one people gathered around the altar proclaiming our faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, receiving His Body and Blood, forming the mystical body of Christ. 

Eucharistic Processions

Eucharistic processions, which once upon a time were far more common, allow us to literally walk in the way of the Lord: reminding us that He is the way, the life and the truth. Our faith is not static, that is we do not station ourselves in church for one hour a week and then run off to other things, but daily, every step in every day, is to be following in the way of the Lord. The Eucharistic Procession is a very visual reminder of that truth. It is also a visual reminder of how the Eucharist is to strengthen us for the journey through this life. 

Benediction

The third great Eucharistic event is Benediction, where we kneel before, adore and are blessed with the Blessed Sacrament. To kneel before the Lord at Benediction reminds us that we are to kneel only before Him. We are to bow down to nothing of this world. We are to have no idol, be it riches or power or fame. We are to adore only the Lord, the Lord who blesses us. 
 

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, reminds us that it is Christ that we receive in the Blessed Sacrament, it is He that we follow and He that we adore.

 
We gather here not to be covered in symbols or trivialities, as beautiful as they might be; but rather, this feast of Corpus Christi reminds us of this one sublime truth that what we celebrate and what we receive at this Mass is nothing less than the Body and Blood of Christ.