The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - Solemnity

Book of Genesis

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.

Psalms

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool.”
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”
“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

First Letter to the Corinthians

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.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

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.

St. Thomas More(Martyr (1478-1535))

SAINT THOMAS MOREMartyr(1478-1535) The life and martyrdom of Saint Thomas More has been the source of a message spanning the centuries, and which speaks to people everywhere of the inalienable dignity of the human conscience, which (...) is "the most intimate center and sanctuary of a person, in which he or she is alone with God, whose voice echoes within them" (Gaudium et Spes, 16). Whenever men or women heed the call of truth, their conscience then guides their actions reliably towards good. Precisely because of the witness which he bore, even at the price of his life, to the primacy of truth over power, Saint Thomas More is venerated as an imperishable example of moral integrity. And even outside the Church, particularly among those with responsibility for the destinies of peoples, he is acknowledged as a source of inspiration for a political system that has as its supreme goal the service of the human person. Thomas More had a remarkable political career in his native land. Born in London in 1478 to a respectable family, as a young boy he was placed in the service of the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morton, Lord Chancellor of the Realm. He studied law at Oxford and in London, and broadened his interests in culture, theology and classical literature. He mastered Greek and enjoyed the company and friendship of important figures of Renaissance culture, including Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam. His sincere religious sentiment led him to cultivate virtues through asceticism. He also befriended the Observant Franciscans of the Friary in Greenwich and lived at the London Charterhouse, which were main centers of religious fervor. Feeling himself called to marriage, family life and dedication as a layman, he married Jane Colt in 1505. They had four children together before Jane passed away in 1511. Thomas then married Alice Middleton, a widow with one daughter. Thomas was an affectionate and faithful husband and father. He was deeply involved in his children's religious, moral and intellectual education. His house offered a welcome to his children's spouses and his grandchildren, and was always open to his many young friends who were searching for truth or their calling. Family life gave him ample opportunity for prayer in common and lectio divina, as well as for happy and wholesome relaxation. He attended daily Mass at the parish church, but his austere penances were only known to his immediate family. Thomas was elected to Parliament for the first time in 1504 under King Henry VII. King Henry VIII renewed Thomas' mandate in 1510, and even made him the Crown's representative at the capitol. During the following decade, the king sent Thomas on several diplomatic and commercial missions to Flanders and the territory of present-day France. Having been made a member of the King's Council, presiding judge of an important tribunal, deputy treasurer and a knight, in 1523 he became Speaker of the House of Commons. Highly esteemed by everyone for his moral integrity, sharpness of mind, humorous character and extraordinary learning, Thomas was appointed lord chancellor by the king in 1529. He was the first layman to occupy this position, which was especially challenging because of King Henry VIII's contentious relationship with the pope. In 1532, not wishing to support Henry VIII's intention to take control of the Church in England, Thomas resigned. He withdrew from public life and accepted poverty with his family and desertion by many false friends. Given Thomas' inflexible firmness in rejecting any compromise with his own conscience, the king imprisoned him at the Tower of London in 1534. He refused to take the oath requested of him since it would have involved accepting a political and ecclesiastical arrangement that prepared the way for despotism. At his trial, he made an impassioned defense of his own convictions on the indissolubility of marriage, the respect due to the juridical patrimony of Christian civilization, and the freedom of the Church in her relations with the State. Condemned by the Court, he was beheaded. Thomas More and 53 other martyrs, including Bishop John Fisher, were beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. They were canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935, on the fourth centenary of Thomas' martyrdom. Saint Thomas More's life clearly illustrates a fundamental truth of political ethics. The defense of the Church's freedom from unwarranted interference by the State is at the same time a defense, in the name of the primacy of conscience, of the individual's freedom vis-á-vis political power. Here we find the basic principle of every civil order consonant with human nature. Therefore, after due consideration and willingly acceding to the petitions addressed to me, I establish and declare Saint Thomas More the heavenly Patron of Statesmen and Politicians, and I decree that he be ascribed all the liturgical honors and privileges which, according to law, belong to the patrons of categories of people.(St. John Paul II - Apostolic letter issued Motu Proprio proclaiming Saint Thomas More Patron of Statesmen and Politicians - October 31, 2000)

St. John Fisher(Bishop and Martyr (1459-1535))

SAINT JOHN FISHERBishop and Martyr(1459-1535) St. John Fisher was born in Beverly, Yorkshire, and was educated at Cambridge University. He received a Master of Arts in 1491 and occupied the vicarage of Northallerton from 1491 to 1494. He became Cambridge University's proctor. In 1497, Father John was appointed confessor to Lady Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII. He became closely associated in her endowments to Cambridge: creating scholarships, introducing Greek and Hebrew into the curriculum and bringing in the world-famous Erasmus as professor of Divinity and Greek. In 1504, he became the bishop of Rochester and chancellor of Cambridge. He also tutored Prince Henry, who was to become Henry VIII. From 1527 onward, Bishop John steadfastly resisted the encroachment of King Henry on the Church. He opposed Henry's takeover as head of the Church in England. He also opposed Henry's divorce proceedings against Catherine and refused to take the oath of succession that acknowledged Henry's mistress Anne as the legitimate heir to the throne. In retaliation, Henry imprisoned Bp. John at the Tower of England in April 1534. The next year, Bp. John was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul III. Henry retaliated by having Bp. John beheaded that month. A half hour before his execution, Bp. John opened his New Testament for the last time and read the following words from St. John's Gospel: "Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Him Whom You have sent, Jesus Christ. I have given you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Do you now, Father, give me glory at your side." Closing the book, he observed: "There is enough learning in that to last me a lifetime."

St. Paulinus of Nola(Bishop (353-431))

SAINT PAULINUS OF NOLABishop (353-431) Paulinus was from a family of senators, prefects and consuls. He was educated with great care and his eloquence in prose and verse was admired by St. Jerome and St. Augustine. He had more than doubled his wealth by marriage and was one of the foremost men of his time. Though he was a chosen friend of saints and was devoted to St. Felix of Nola, he was still a catechumen who served two masters. Nonetheless, God drew Paulinus to Himself along the way of the Cross. Paulinus received baptism and moved to Spain. After a period of contemplation, he and his holy wife sold their vast estates in various parts of the empire. They distributed the proceeds so prudently that St. Jerome says the East and West were filled with their alms. Paulinus was then ordained and retired to Nola in Campania. There, he rebuilt the Church of St. Felix and served its people.In 409, he was consecrated bishop. For more than thirty years, he tended his flock. His sanctity was conspicuous during an age of many great and wise bishops. St. Gregory the Great tells us that when the Vandals of Africa descended on Campania, Bp. Paulinus spent all he had in relieving the distress of his people and ransoming them from slavery. When a poor widow's son was taken captive by the Vandal king's son-in-law, Palinus had already exhausted his funds; so he exchanged places with the widow's son. He toiled as agardener for some time until the Vandal king learned that the bishop of Nola was his son-in-law's slave. Hence, the Vandal king freed Bp. Paulinus and Nola's townsmen. Bp. Paulinus passed away in 431, but continues interceding for all who beseech him.

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