The Gospel recounts the institution of the Eucharist, performed by Jesus during the Last Supper in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. On the eve of his redemptive death on the Cross, he fulfilled what he had foretold: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. And indeed, the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh… Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them” ( John 6:51-56). Jesus takes the bread in his hands and says, “Take this; this is my body” ( Mark 14:22). By this gesture and these words, he assigns to the bread a function that is no longer simply that of physical nourishment, but that of making his person present in the midst of the community of believers.

The Last Supper represents the culmination of Christ's entire life. It is not merely the anticipation of his sacrifice on the cross, but also the synthesis of a life offered for the salvation of all humanity. Therefore, it is not enough to affirm that Jesus is present in the Eucharist; we must see in it the presence of a life given and participate in it. When we receive and eat this Bread, we are united to the life of Jesus, we enter into communion with him, we commit ourselves to fostering communion among ourselves, and to transforming our lives into a gift, especially toward the poorest.

Today's feast evokes this message of solidarity and urges us to embrace its inner invitation to conversion and service, to love and forgiveness. It inspires us to become, through our lives, imitators of what we celebrate in the liturgy. Christ, who nourishes us under the consecrated species of bread and wine, is the same one who comes to meet us in everyday events; he is in the poor person who reaches out, he is in the suffering person who begs for help, he is in the brother or sister who asks for our availability and awaits our welcome. He is in the child who knows nothing of Jesus, of salvation, who has no faith. He is in every human being, even the smallest and most defenseless.

The Eucharist, a source of love for the life of the Church, is a school of charity and solidarity. Those who are nourished by this Bread of Christ cannot remain indifferent to those who lack daily bread. And today, as we know, this is an increasingly serious problem.

May the Feast of Corpus Christi inspire and nourish ever more deeply in each of us the desire and commitment to a welcoming and compassionate society. Let us place these wishes in the heart of the Virgin Mary, the Eucharistic Woman. May she awaken in all the joy of participating in Mass, especially on Sundays, and the joyful courage to bear witness to the infinite charity of Christ.

POPE FRANCIS

ANGELUS

Saint Peter's Square

Sunday, June 7, 2015