The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Reading 1 and//usccb.org/bible/genesis/14:18 GN 14:18-20 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 wordsand Blessed be Abram by God Most High,the creator of heaven and earthand blessed be God Most High,who delivered your foes into your hand. Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Responsorial Psalm and//usccb.org/bible/psalms/110and1 PS 110and1, 2, 3, 4 R. (4b)You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.The LORD said to my Lordand Sit at my right handtill I make your enemies your footstool. R.You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zionand Rule in the midst of your enemies. R.You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendorbefore the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you. R.You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.The LORD has sworn, and he will not repentand You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. R.You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. Reading 2 and//usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/11:23 1 COR 11:23-26 Brothers and sistersandI 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. Sequence - Lauda Sion Laud, O Zion, your salvation,Laud with hymns of exultation,Christ, your king and shepherd trueandBring him all the praise you know,He is more than you bestow.Never can you reach his due.Special theme for glad thanksgivingIs the quick’ning and the livingBread today before you setandFrom his hands of old partaken,As we know, by faith unshaken,Where the Twelve at supper met.Full and clear ring out your chanting,Joy nor sweetest grace be wanting,From your heart let praises burstandFor today the feast is holden,When the institution oldenOf that supper was rehearsed.Here the new law’s new oblation,By the new king’s revelation,Ends the form of ancient riteandNow the new the old effaces,Truth away the shadow chases,Light dispels the gloom of night.What he did at supper seated,Christ ordained to be repeated,His memorial ne’er to ceaseandAnd his rule for guidance taking,Bread and wine we hallow, makingThus our sacrifice of peace.This the truth each Christian learns,Bread into his flesh he turns,To his precious blood the wineandSight has fail’d, nor thought conceives,But a dauntless faith believes,Resting on a pow’r divine.Here beneath these signs are hiddenPriceless things to sense forbiddenSigns, not things are all we seeandBlood is poured and flesh is broken,Yet in either wondrous tokenChrist entire we know to be.Whoso of this food partakes,Does not rend the Lord nor breaksChrist is whole to all that tasteandThousands are, as one, receivers,One, as thousands of believers,Eats of him who cannot waste.Bad and good the feast are sharing,Of what divers dooms preparing,Endless death, or endless life.Life to these, to those damnation,See how like participationIs with unlike issues rife.When the sacrament is broken,Doubt not, but believe ‘tis spoken,That each sever’d outward tokendoth the very whole contain.Nought the precious gift divides,Breaking but the sign betidesJesus still the same abides,still unbroken does remain.The shorter form of the sequence begins here.Lo! the angel’s food is givenTo the pilgrim who has strivensee the children’s bread from heaven,which on dogs may not be spent.Truth the ancient types fulfilling,Isaac bound, a victim willing,Paschal lamb, its lifeblood spilling,manna to the fathers sent.Very bread, good shepherd, tend us,Jesu, of your love befriend us,You refresh us, you defend us,Your eternal goodness send usIn the land of life to see.You who all things can and know,Who on earth such food bestow,Grant us with your saints, though lowest,Where the heav’nly feast you show,Fellow heirs and guests to be. Amen. Alleluia. Alleluia and//usccb.org/bible/john/6:51 JN 6:51 R.Alleluia, alleluia.I am the living bread come down from heaven, says the Lordwhoever eats this bread will live forever.R.Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel and//usccb.org/bible/luke/9:11 LK 9:11B-17 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 crowdso that they can go to the surrounding villages and farmsand find lodging and provisionsfor 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.