A letter for Corpus Christi, 2018!!!

Corpus Christi is a festival that has been celebrated by many Christians, particularly the Catholic Church, in honor of the Eucharist since 1246. The name “Corpus Christi” is a Latin phrase that refers to the body of Christ. Corpus Christi 2018 is on Thursday, May 31, 2018

Corpus Christi is a Christian feast celebrated every year on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday in commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles before his crucifixion on Holy Thursday. Due to the somber atmosphere of Holy Week, Holy Thursday, leading to Good Friday, does not allow for a splendid unfolding of festivities.

Corpus Christ is Latin for "Body of Christ" and is celebrated particularly by those of Catholic faith, while most protestant denominations don't recognize the feast. It is a moveable celebration that depends on the date of Easter and can occur as early as May 21 or as late as June 24.

Corpus Christi is a public holiday in many countries (or parts of countries) with predominantly catholic populations. In countries where Corpus Christi is not a public holiday the feast is often celebrated on the following Sunday.

This year I have come to understand some of the readings of the New Testament that were obscure to me until now.  One is in Luke about Zacchaeus.

Luke 19 New International Version (NIV)

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” I now understand that a second chance is given even to the rich or dishonest and how man can make a conversion even when they are very wealthy.  This relates to the reading about a camel being able to go through the eye of a needle!

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”

²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

These were readings that were hard for me to understand and now I have been illuminated to understand that truly humans (with God’s help) can reach what seems to be impossible.  Stalin said that the rich will not self destruct, yet I truly believe that there is a promised conversion of humanity and that we must believe in the intelligence of our brains to realize the need to survive together as a species, with animals and all of creation.  With this renewed inspiration and illumination that I feel in these days I wish to greet all of you and expect a very beautiful and forceful Corpus Christi this year, 2018!  AUGURIOS AND BLESSINGS TO ALL!  
And be sure to eat some delicious homemade bread!  I can give you some recipes if you need them!  Also, (a little humorously) my son’s initials are PAN!!! Which is bread in Spanish!  I did not name him with that intention, but later realized his initials formed the word!  So with a bit of fun in it, I present to you this year, my son so you can expect even more contemplations in the future!

CORPUS

Corpus Christi is a real place,

A physical union between the heavens and land.

It is a real body, living and with breath,

In a material shape, in an able man!

Corpus is reachable, teachable, and flexible

Enough to find reason and possibilities

Where even hope has thrown in the rope.

It is waiting in a real place, in a true being,

For us to discover its existence!

                        By: Karla

The poetic devices in these readings are subtle and multiple.  How wonderful to actually “feel” and “sense” the deeper meanings and to be able to transmit them to others!

The other day I had a dream I would like to share that relates to all this!  On April 23, 2018, I was half awake and half asleep and was dreaming.  I sensed and actually could see! the Spirit and I saw it moving like a cloud and floating softly along, in multiple movements.  It was like a living being.  It was really very beautiful, and gave me desires to live, renewing me and filling me with hope!  I understood from this that in the future all good will come forth.  It was really very special and beautiful!  Earlier on that Monday, we had read about Jesus Misicordioso (Merciful Jesus) in my group of Legion of Mary!