My Take on the Sermon on the Solemnity of Corpus Christie – Preached by Rev. Fr. Minta

1. We celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christie, Solemnities are apogee of worship that we can give to God. It is higher than feast.
2. In Israel there was the feast of Atonement & feast of Password. These 2 were the highest of feast.
3. Corpus Christie is the Body of Christ. We celebrate Christ Body & Blood. As said by St. John unless we eat of the Body & Blood of the Son of Man, we do not have life in us.
4. To live forever we must eat the Body & Drink of The Blood of Christ.
5. As we celebrate the feast, our reflection starts from Gen 14:18-20
6.  Melchizedek was a mysterious person his name meaning my Priest & my King.
7.  Through him the people will feel the divine presence of God. Read the letter to the Hebrews about Melchizedek.
8.  In the 2nd reading Paul who was not at the Last Supper, recounted what he had been told by disciples the account the Last Supper. “Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.”
9.  He goes on to say that if we receive the Body & Blood unworthiness we bring condemnation on ourselves.
10.  So if we come to Mass with mortal sin, we don’t have to go for communion. We need to be in the state of Grace before we receive Him our Lord.
11. 1 Cor 23:27-29 “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself”.
12. We remember Christ by participating actively in the Eucharist and eating the Body & drinking Blood of Christ.
13. Sin of Apostasy – when a Catholic renounces his faith & by Apostasy the person is excommunicated. You cannot receive any of the sacraments.
14. Note that what we receive is not a representation  of the Body of Christ, but it is the true Body & Blood of Christ. Note that even Paul gives a direct quote of what Christ says, it is in quotations marks in the 2nd reading  “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
15. He also did not say it will become His Body, it is His Blood. It is the greatest miracle, when Christ leaves His heavenly throne and comes to dwell in our heart at communion. He does that anytime we keep His commandment and do it in remembrance of Him. What miracle can be greater than this.
16. In the Eucharist Christ comes to make us holy, He comes to sanctify us.
17. There is no greater Holiness than Christ coming to dwell within us.
18. It is the salvation we receive anytime we receive communion, Christ comes to dwell within us.
19. The Holy Communion is the Spiritual Oxygen we need in our blood.
20. It is because the need to be in the state of grace that we need to go for confession before communion
21. There are many things we cannot see with our eyes, but we believe in faith.
22. We receive healing through Christ in the Eucharist & we encounter Christ physically & spiritually in the Holy Eucharist.
23. We allow the devil to use little things to deprive us from the grace of God.
24. Cut off from Me you can do nothing. That is what Christ says to us, not going to Communion is is cutting ourselves from Christ.
25. May Christ come and penetrate our lives.
26. Christ became flesh and entered into the womb of our Mother Mary & in communion Christ comes to dwell in our body too.
27. Anima Christi – Soul of Christ, make me holy. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, fill me with love. Water from Christ’s side, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. Good Jesus, hear me. Within your wounds, hide me. Never let me be parted from you. From the evil enemy, protect me. At the hour of my death, call me. And tell me to come to you. That with your saints I may praise you. Through all eternity. Amen.

FIRST READING
Genesis 14:18–20

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4 (4b)

R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”

R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”

R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”

R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 11:23–26

Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

ALLELUIA
John 6:51

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Luke 9:11b–17

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

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Kenneth Ashigbey is the Chief Servant of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, is a great believer in Ghana & believes that with right Leadership in all aspect of Life within Ghana, we will hit the very top. I believe that Leadership is not just Political leadership but Leadership in very aspect of the word. Lets all shine in our corners where we are. We should also support each other as Ghanaians 1st before extending our hands to strangers. We should allow the Princes of Land to marry the Land not Strangers 1st.

5 comments

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Tony Klah

The way Father treated the sin of apostasy made it look like salvation was only found in the Catholic Church. I thought the protestants where those who did that. He likened the incident at the church of Christ where a catholic died during a stampede for Holy Water to the sin of apostasy. I differed in view points as the sin of apostasy had to do with publicly denouncing your first in Christ. This incident never tantamount to the sin of apostasy and thus was incorrectly presented by father; as least in my opinion. Salvation is not only found in the Catholic Church. Salvation is found in Christ only. Luke 9:49 saw Peter being reprimanded for stop someone casting demons out in Jesus name. “And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us”.

Other churches are all for Christ and it is our practices that differ. Going to another church doesn’t constitute the sin of apostasy. At least that was what was preached into the minds of people.

    comments user
    kenneth.ashigbey

    You need to understand the context in which Father preached the message. Why did you go to the other church. Is is because you thought Christ could not save you in the Church, the reason why you go to buy the Holy Water

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Tony Klah

Well brother Ken, this is subject to thorough scrutiny. No one is forbidden from going to any other church. Are you saying, you have never been to a church that isn’t catholic? Yes, Holy water is holy water. There is a lot of Holy water in the catholic church and outside the catholic church. As the faith of the women with the issue of blood, his faith led him to another man of God. Bro, Ken, look at it unbiasly and dispassionately and pronounce a fair judgment. Judgment at this stage could be individualistic and yours could definately be different from mine. When I am at a point of making a decision which looks blurred, I ask myself, WWJD. What will Jesus Do? And just as how he answers questions of the Pharasees concerning different subjects, I believe Jesus wouldn’t have pronounced such judgment on this fellow and thus called it the sin of apostacy. I think the sin of apostacy here has been misdirected. And point of correction; THEY DID NOT SELL HOLY WATER.

What do you think?

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    kenneth.ashigbey

    Tony I appreciate your position & I believe we are all entitled to our views. But I am not sure we should get into aspersion casting. You believe that I am being biased and passionate & not making a fair judgement. Well I will grant it to you that that is your opinion & you are entitled to it. I will not replace Sunday Mass with going to any other church. But that is me, I dont even like going to other parishes. When I go to another church it might be for a programme I am invited to or to go pray & fellowship with others. I do not go following signs & wonders. I believe in what Christ promised us who believe in Him. Signs & Wonders will follow me. All that I am & all that I have become & all that I will become is by the Grace of my God who grants me undeserved favour and I experience Christ in the Word and in Flesh (Eucharist) in the Catholic Church. You can chose what you want to do, get Holy Water from any source it is your choice and I do not judge you. The only time I am allowed to judge is when the judgement applies to my faith and my redemption. I need to make judgement based on the fruits of people. The Bible tells us that by their fruits you will know them. We are admonished that there will be wolves in sheep clothing. So for my redemption which comes through faith in Jesus Christ, I have to make some judgement. But thanks for reading my blog.

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Tony Klah

Bro Ken, Aspersion casting? Noooooooooooooooooooo far from that. Why will I want to do that? I am just provoking a thought process and questioning objectively the sin of Apostasy as was leveled against that gentleman. If for any reason my request of you for making an unbiased and dispassionate judgment on this topic pressed some buttons, I crave your indulgence and ask for pardon because that is definately not my intent. The english language is definately not my mother tongue and I therefore could write something that would have meant something else without realizing. I am just trying to have a discussion about a topic and not necessarily personifying it.

I am just looking at the sin of apostasy as it is attributed to the gentleman. That is all. So I am asking whether you think that his actions constituted the sin of Apostasy.

I hope my misdemeanors if any are forgiven.