Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly
abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
On Corpus Christi Sunday* my teenage son and I joined in our local Corpus Christi procession. This was a joint effort between several parishes and the route traveled over 6.8 miles between our two metro-area cities. My son and I only walked the first part (about 2 miles) because that’s all my bad knee could handle. It was a joyful affair with much singing, mostly in Spanish, and recited prayers, mostly the Rosary. We also stopped in front of the jail and prayed for the inmates. We had great police support as we walked down blocked off streets through the center of the city.
All in all, this was a kind of culmination of a great several days for me.
I have written previously about coming back to the Church. This return has been a true joy for me.
On Saturday before Corpus Christi Sunday I went to confession for the first time in a long time. What a blessing! Later that day my Father’s Day gift arrived in the mail; three icons and some candles (that quote from Ephesians above came in the packaging). I put the icons on the wall near my desk for my prayer corner. Sunday morning I went to church, this time to a parish I had not visited for a long time and things had changed… for the better! What a reverent and beautiful Mass. It was a Novus Order Mass done mostly in Latin, with Gregorian Chant beautifully sung, lots of incense, the priest facing Ad orientem, ten male altar servers, and recently installed altar rails where I received the Blessed Host on the tongue. I’m not waving the traditionalist flag here, just noting that reverence due is helped by reverent forms of worship. Then, that afternoon, was the procession. I would say that was a great several days.
*What is Corpus Christi? Here is a statement from the Archdiocese of Portland’s website:
The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a Catholic celebration of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist—and thus a sacred reminder that, in every Mass, Jesus’ one sacrifice of Calvary is sacramentally made present and offered anew for “the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit” (CCC 1366). While Holy Thursday recalls Christ’s institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, Corpus Christi gives Catholics a joyful opportunity to honor our Eucharistic Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. This includes public devotion apart from Mass.
pilgrimakimbo 