The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - 2025 - Year C
The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.
- The gospel for the day
- Some optional questions for reflection
- Prayers of Intercession
- Cluster Prayer
- The gospel of the week ahead with questions for reflection
Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us. cluster.alpha@outlook.com
Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)
In celebrating the Real Presence of Christ, the Church chooses Luke's gospel of the feeding of the 5000. Interestingly, Jesus doesn't work a miracle out of thin air. He first asks his disciples to feed the hungry crowds, then shares out the simple gifts they have to offer, to create community, fellowship and abundance.
In nurturing us in the Eucharist, Jesus is asking us - his disciples today - to share out our gifts to feed others' needs. He is asking us to become the Body of Christ in the world. He is asking us to trust that he is truly present in our lives, in every moment and every encounter.
- Share about how you have experienced the "Body of Christ" in your life.
- Have you had an experience of not having enough of some gift or grace, then receiving more than enough? What happened?*
* All second questions
© The Pastoral Center
Prayers of Intercession
For Pope Leo and all who serve in the church, that they will be wise, courageous and effective leaders, fearlessly preaching the gospel of peace, justice and reconciliation and bring about an end to war, violence and oppression.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
As the wheat is gathered from the fields to become bread and grapes from many vines are gathered to become wine; so we are gathered here today; from many lands and backgrounds, to be the Body of Christ. As we celebrate this Eucharist together, may we be a visible sign of unity and hope in the way we support and encourage one another.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For those in poverty and for those weighed down by troubles and anxieties. Grant that the richer peoples and nations will share their bread and wealth and reach out to others with compassion, love and care.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
We pray for ourselves that on this feast day of Corpus Christi we will understand that we are the Body of Christ, the hands and feet of Jesus. Grant that we may be a light to those in darkness and bring hope to the hopeless, and make our world a place where the poor are fed and all strangers are welcomed.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
Let us pray for all who are sick in body, mind or spirit, at home, in care homes or in hospital and those named on the prayer foundation list. May they be strengthened and encouraged on their journey by our love, our prayers and our support.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
We remember those who have died recently, especially: John McFadden, Caroline Smyth, Bernadette Reid, Adamko Cech, Mary Smith, George Smith, Ella Stoddart, John Lovell, and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. Grant them eternal peace.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
We will now say together the prayer to be missionary disciples.
Cluster prayer
Lord continue to bless our community in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey to grow from a maintenance church to a missionary church.
Give us the courage to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship; narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love that all who come here will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN
Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)
In his ministry years, Jesus would go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the major Jewish feasts, taking the opportunity to speak with religious leaders and fellow Jews about his message of Good News. The rest of the time he was travelling round towns and villages – not just in his own country – preaching and healing and casting out demons. In this way, he respected but also challenged his own religious traditions while at the same time travelling far and wide to reveal his message to people of other faiths and to foreigners.
In today’s gospel, Jesus gives recognition to Peter as the spokesman and leader of the community of Jesus’ followers in and around Jerusalem. But we know from the Acts of the Apostles how it was Paul in his missionary journeys who spread the Good News far and wide from the Holy Land and established communities in various other countries.
It is fitting therefore that we celebrate these two men jointly as the two people who embodied the dual aspect of Jesus’ ministry.
- If participating in church-based activities is "following Peter", how might you "follow Paul" in your daily life with others?
- If you were asked, how would you explain Jesus to a person who had not heard of him?*
* All second questions
© The Pastoral Center
Gospel for the day - The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Luke 9:11b-17 - ‘All ate and were satisfied.’
At that time: Jesus spoke to the crowd of the kingdom of God and cured those who needed healing. Now the day began to wear away, and the Twelve came and said to him, ‘Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.’ But he said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish — unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, ‘Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ And they did so, and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary on the readings.