Evangelization as compassion.

XI Sunday of Ordinary Time - - Year A – June 14, 2026

Roman Rite

Ex 19:2-6; Ps 99; Rom 5:6-11; Mt 9:36-10:8

 

1) Jesus' compassionate gaze.

“Jesus, seeing the crowds, had compassion for them” (Mt 9, 36): Jesus' gaze turns from the physical illnesses of the crowd to its disorientation. He sees “tired and exhausted crowds, like sheep without a shepherd” (Ibid.), therefore in need not only of health, but also of guidance and meaning in life.

“Compassion” is the feeling that drives Jesus to deal with sick and disoriented crowds. Compassion is a feeling that speaks of deep and inner participation. The Greek word refers to the physical place, maternal love, the womb. It is a visceral, stubborn love that almost sees no reason, regardless of any evaluation of merit. Jesus just loves crowds. I would say more: Jesus not only feels compassion for the suffering humanity. Christ is God's compassion for man, for every man and for all man. Indeed, the compassion that God felt for our human condition led Him to become Himself a participant in our human condition and nature. God's compassion for man is that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14a). 

Inhabiting among us, the Redeemer feels pain for the pain of the world, the great pain of man. Jesus is compassion, God's weeping made flesh. Crying is loving with your eyes. What He looks at with His eyes full of compassionate tenderness is not only the vast human camp, where He has pitched His tent.  Jesus sees a multitude charged with pain and fear. He sees flocks of sheep, lost because they have no shepherds. His response is a pain that takes hold of his insides. And he calls the twelve and entrusts them with these lost and suffering sheep: they will have to preserve them, guard them, save them with compassion, the least sappy of feelings. They must save and sow it in the world, through six actions: preach, heal, resurrect, heal, deliver, and give.

Today's evangelical passage reveals to us the Apostles' call ultimate reason for being, to make the compassion of Jesus present among the crowds. Every man, because of his weariness and exhaustion, needs to see and feel “God's compassion” for him. The apostles exist so that the experience of God's closeness is a real possibility always offered to every man.

The apostle Paul understood this well when he wrote to his Christians in Philippi: “God is my witness to the deep affection I have for all of you in the love of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:8). The affection that the apostle feels for his faithful is not a simply human transport; it is the very transport of Christ. Because it is no longer Paul who lives, but Christ who lives in Paul. The apostle, in his love for the faithful, is no longer moved by his heart but by the very heart of Christ.

For God's compassion towards man to continue to be felt in all times and places, the apostles are endowed with the same power as Jesus “He gave them the power to drive away unclean spirits and to heal all kinds of diseases and infirmities”. Not only that. They are sent to tell man that “the kingdom of heaven is near”. The Apostle therefore has an “informative” task: to notify a fact, that is “the kingdom of heaven is near, and an “effective” power: to make the fact that he notifies happen: “heal the sick, raise the dead, heal the lepers, cast out the demons”.

 

2) Sending on a mission.

However, in today's Gospel, Jesus sends his Apostles on a mission, saying not to go among the pagans and not to enter the cities of the Samaritans. Expressing himself in this way, it seems that he intends to limit the horizon to the mission. It is certainly a passage that must be understood in the historical situation of the moment. It would seem like a sending that limits the task of evangelization. But that is not entirely the case if you look closely. In fact, at least two elements retain their freshness intact. The first is that we are not simply talking about “the House of Israel”, but about “lost sheep”. The first expression says the limit, but the second says the true nature of evangelical universality, which lies not simply in going anywhere, but in the search for the lost. Jesus himself did not leave the borders of Israel. Mission is not to run anywhere and get everywhere. The essential thing is to mature, even in one place only, those values that have a charge of universality in themselves. The essential thing is to be, wherever you are, a sign of God's love for all, even if it is in the face of one man.

Like that of Jesus, the mission of the disciple is also itinerant: «going». And his task is indicated by five strong indications: the first is concerned with the task of the service of the Word (preaching), the other four concern the liberation of man from his sufferings (healing, resurrecting, cleansing, casting out demons). Then Christ no longer describes the tasks to be done, but how these tasks are to be performed: “Freely you have received, freely give”. The Greek expression says the most absolute gratuitousness. Jesus never took anything, so must his disciple. Not only, nothing must asked for, but neither is the dignity of the patient or the usefulness of his recovery looked at. This gratuitousness is the essential characteristic of God's saving action.

The mission, which flows from Crist's compassionate heart, is to preach and heal life, or at least cure it by relieving suffering. All this must be done to evangelize by proclaiming with words and actions that God cares for every human being. God is near each of us with love. Perhaps we will expect a more decisive response to the pain of the crowds, a more efficient relief: why does the Lord help the fragility of man with the fragility of other men, rather than with his omnipotence? Because He intervenes for his children, through his other children. Jesus' response to the suffering of the world is each of us, called to be his hands that soothe human wounds.

An example of people working with piety are the consecrated Virgins. These women show us how one can be, in the timelessness of daily life, reaper of suffering to bring the relief fervently desired with hands that support and caress, with words that caress the heart.

Following the invitation of Christ and the example of these consecrated souls, who drank at the loving Source of life, let us we freely give what gratuitously we have received

 Jesus has lived the passion for compassion.  Let us humbly follow him by announcing with words and examples that only unconditional love can generate unconditional lovers.

 

                                                 Patristic Reading

                                          Saint Augustine of Hippo

                                                 Discourse 259

 

 Be compassionate with your fellow man and God will have compassion on you. You and the other are both men and both miserable. God, on the other hand, is not miserable but merciful. That if the wretched man does not use compassion with the wretched, how can he assume that mercy is being used on him by him who is free from all misery? Think, brothers, about what I tell you. Imagine one who is cruel to a person who has been shipwrecked: he will be cruel until he too is shipwrecked. If, however, he has encountered it, remembering his previous life, when he encounters a castaway he will feel struck by the identical state of misery in which he himself had found himself in the past, and, if he had not allowed himself to move in compassion for belonging to the common human family, the experience of the same misfortune will bend him. How easy it is for you to feel compassion for a slave o who lived in slavery! How does it arise spontaneously, in the soul of a worker who has not been paid, the penalty for a defrauded workmate! Of a person who mourns the fate of his child, how one who has had to mourn for the same reason at other times is moved to warm tears! Concluding: Being in the same misfortune breaks the hardness of the human heart, however great it may be. And now to you, who have either been in misery or are afraid of falling into it. For as long as you are in this world, you must fear the misfortunes you have not been in until now, just as you must remember those you have experienced and those you live in the present. Well, if you remember the misadventures of the past, if you fear the future, if you are currently in affliction, will you not have compassion for those who have fallen into some misfortune and need your help, thus waiting for the compassion of those who are above all misery? If you don't give even a little of what you received from God, how do you expect God to give you what he didn't receive from you?

 

L’évangélisation comme compassion.

11e dimanche du Temps Ordinaire – Année A – 14 juin 2026

 

Rite romain

 

Ex 19, 2-6 ; Ps 99 ; Rm 5, 6-11 ; Mt 9, 36-10, 8

 

 

1) Le regard compatissant de Jésus.

 

« Voyant les foules, Jésus fut rempli de compassion pour elles » (Mt 9, 36) : le regard de Jésus se détourne des maux physiques de la foule pour se porter sur son désarroi. Il voit « les foules harassées et abattues, comme des brebis sans berger » (Ibid.), ayant donc besoin non seulement de santé, mais aussi de repères et de sens à leur vie.

 

La « compassion » est le sentiment qui pousse Jésus à prendre soin des malades et des foules désorientées. La compassion est un sentiment qui exprime une participation profonde et intérieure. Le mot grec fait référence au lieu physique de l’amour maternel, le sein maternel. C'est un amour viscéral et obstiné qui fait presque fi de la raison, sans égard pour le mérite. Jésus aime tout simplement la foule. J'irais même plus loin : Jésus ne se contente pas d'éprouver de la compassion pour l'humanité souffrante. Lui, le Christ, est la compassion de Dieu pour l'humanité, pour chaque être humain et pour toute l'humanité. En effet, la compassion que Dieu a ressentie pour notre condition humaine l'a conduit à devenir partie intégrante de notre condition et de notre nature. La compassion de Dieu pour l'humanité réside dans le fait que « la Parole s'est faite chair et a habité parmi nous » (Jn 1, 14a).

 

Demeurant parmi nous, le Rédempteur souffre de la souffrance du monde, de l'immense souffrance de l'humanité. Jésus est compassion, les larmes de Dieu fait chair. Pleurer, c'est aimer avec les yeux. Ce qu'il contemple de ses yeux emplis d'une tendre compassion, ce n'est pas seulement l'immense foule humaine où il a dressé sa tente. Jésus voit une multitude accablée par la douleur et la peur. Il voit des troupeaux de brebis perdues, faute de berger. Sa réaction est une douleur qui le transperce jusqu'au plus profond de son être. Il appelle alors les Douze et leur confie ces brebis perdues et souffrantes : ils doivent les préserver, les protéger, les sauver avec compassion, avec une profonde souffrance, le plus humble des sentiments. Sauvez-les et semez-les à travers le monde, par six actions : prêcher, guérir, ressusciter, délivrer, libérer et donner.

 

L'Évangile d'aujourd'hui nous révèle la raison ultime de l'appel des Apôtres : rendre la compassion de Jésus présente parmi les foules. Chaque homme, accablé par la fatigue et l'épuisement, a besoin de voir et de ressentir la « compassion de Dieu » à son égard. Les Apôtres existent pour que l'expérience de la proximité de Dieu soit une possibilité réelle offerte à chaque homme, à tout moment.

 

L'apôtre Paul l'a bien compris lorsqu'il écrit aux Philippiens : « Dieu m'est témoin de mon profond désir pour vous tous en Jésus-Christ » (Ph 1, 8). L'affection que l'apôtre éprouve pour ses fidèles n'est pas seulement humaine ; C’est le désir même du Christ. Puisque ce n’est plus Paul qui vit, mais le Christ qui vit en Paul, son amour pour les fidèles n’est plus mû par son propre cœur, mais par celui du Christ.

 

Afin que la compassion de Dieu pour l’humanité continue d’être ressentie en tout temps et en tout lieu, les apôtres sont dotés du même pouvoir que Jésus : « Il leur a donné autorité sur les esprits impurs, sur toutes les maladies, toutes les infirmités, sur toutes les souffrances.» De plus, ils sont envoyés pour annoncer à l’humanité que « le royaume des cieux est proche ». L’apôtre a donc une mission d’information : rapporter un fait, à savoir que « le royaume des cieux est proche » ; et un pouvoir d’action : accomplir ce fait qui l’annonce : « guérir les malades, ressusciter les morts, purifier les lépreux, chasser les démons ».

 

 

2) L'envoi en mission.

 

Cependant, dans l’Évangile d’aujourd’hui, Jésus confie la mission d’evangelisation à ses Apôtres en leur disant de ne pas aller chez les païens ni de pas entrer dans le villes des Samaritains. En s’expriment de cette manière, Il semble limiter l’horizon de la mission. Il s’agit assurément d’un passage qu’il faut comprendre dans son contexte historique. Il pourrait paraître restreindre la tâche d'évangélisation. Mais ce n’est pas tout à fait le cas si l’on y regarde de plus près : au moins deux éléments, en réalité, conservent toute leur pertinence. Premièrement, il n'est pas simplement question de la « Maison d'Israël », mais de « brebis perdues ». La première expression souligne la limitation, mais la seconde exprime la véritable nature de l'universalité évangélique, qui ne consiste pas seulement à aller partout, mais à rechercher les perdus. Jésus lui-même n'a pas quitté les frontières d'Israël. La mission ne consiste pas à courir partout et à arriver partout. L'essentiel est de développer, même en un seul lieu, ces valeurs qui possèdent une universalité intrinsèque. L'essentiel est d'être, où que nous soyons, un signe de l'amour de Dieu pour tous, même pour une seule personne.

 

À l'image de Jésus, la mission du disciple est itinérante : « aller ». Sa tâche est marquée par cinq indications fortes : la première concerne le service de la Parole (la prédication), les quatre autres la libération de l'homme de ses souffrances (guérir, ressusciter, purifier, chasser les démons). Puis, le Christ ne décrit plus les tâches à accomplir, mais la manière de les réaliser : « Vous avez reçu gratuitement, donnez gratuitement. » L'expression grecque exprime la gratuité absolue. Jésus n'a jamais rien pris, et son disciple ne devrait pas non plus. Non seulement rien n'est demandé en retour, mais il n'y a aucune considération pour la dignité du malade ni pour l'utilité particulière de sa guérison. Cette générosité est la caractéristique essentielle de l'action salvifique de Dieu.

 

La mission, qui jaillit du cœur compatissant du Christ, est de prêcher et de guérir, ou du moins de prendre soin de la vie en soulageant la souffrance. Tout cela pour évangéliser, proclamant par nos paroles et nos actes que Dieu prend soin de chaque être humain. Dieu est proche de chacun de nous avec amour. Peut-être attendons-nous une réponse plus décisive à la souffrance des foules, une aide plus efficace : pourquoi le Seigneur secourt-il la fragilité de l’homme par la fragilité des autres, plutôt que par sa toute-puissance ? Parce qu’il intervient pour ses enfants, par l’intermédiaire de ses autres enfants. La réponse de Jésus à la souffrance du monde, c’est chacun de nous, appelés à être ses mains qui guérissent les blessures humaines.

 

Les Vierges consacrées sont un exemple d’artisanes de piété. Ces femmes nous montrent comment, dans la simplicité du quotidien, nous pouvons être des secouristes, apportant le soulagement auquel nous aspirons par des mains qui soutiennent et caressent, par des paroles qui touchent le cœur.

 

À l’appel du Christ et à l’exemple de ces âmes consacrées, qui ont puisé à la Source d’amour et de vie, nous donnons librement ce que nous avons librement reçu.

 

Jésus a vécu la passion de la compassion ; Suivons-le humblement, proclamant par nos paroles et par notre exemple que seul l'amour inconditionnel peut engendrer des amoureux inconditionnels.

 

 

 

Lecture patristique

 

Saint Augustin d’Hippone (354 - 430

 

DISCOURS 259

 

 

Soyez compatissants envers votre prochain, et Dieu aura compassion de vous. Vous et l'autre êtes tous deux humains, et tous deux misérables. Dieu, cependant, n'est pas misérable, mais miséricordieux. Car si le misérable ne fait pas preuve de compassion envers les misérables, comment peut-il espérer la miséricorde de Celui qui est exempt de toute misère ? Considérez, frères, ce que je vous dis. Imaginez quelqu'un qui est cruel envers une victime de naufrage : il restera cruel jusqu'à ce qu'il subisse lui aussi un naufrage. Si, toutefois, il s'est souvenu de sa vie passée, lorsqu'il rencontrera un naufragé, il sera frappé par le même état de misère qu'il a connu autrefois, et, s'il n'avait pas été touché par la compassion en appartenant à la même famille humaine, l'expérience du même malheur le submergera. Comme il est facile pour celui qui a vécu en esclavage d'éprouver de la compassion pour un esclave ! Comme spontanément, dans l'âme d'un travailleur non rémunéré, la pitié naît pour un collègue qui a été spolié ! Que les larmes amères émanent de celui qui a déjà pleuré pour la même raison, lorsqu'un autre pleure le sort de son propre enfant ! En conclusion : se retrouver soi-même confronté à un tel malheur brise la dureté du cœur humain, aussi grande soit-elle. Et maintenant, à vous qui avez connu la misère ou qui craignez d'y sombrer : tant que vous êtes en ce monde, vous devez craindre les malheurs que vous n'avez pas encore rencontrés, tout comme vous devez vous souvenir de ceux que vous avez vécus et de ceux que vous vivez encore. Si vous vous souvenez des malheurs du passé, si vous craignez ceux à venir, si vous êtes actuellement affligés, n'éprouverez-vous pas de compassion pour ceux qui sont tombés dans le malheur et qui ont besoin de votre aide, attendant ainsi la compassion de Celui qui est au-dessus de toute misère ? Si vous ne donnez même pas un peu de ce que vous avez reçu de Dieu, comment pouvez-vous espérer que Dieu vous donne ce qu'il n'a pas reçu de vous ?

 

Saint Ambroise de Milan

Traité de l’Evangile de Saint Luc

VII, 84

 

 

« Puis que nul n’est plus notre prochain que Celui qui a guéri nos blessures, aimons-Le comme Seigneur, aimons-Le aussi comme proche : car rien n’est si proche que la tête pour les membres. Aimons aussi celui qui imite le Christ ; aimons celui qui compatit à l’indigence d’autrui de par l’unité du corps »

 

Evangelizzazione come compassione.

XI Domenica del Tempo Ordinario - - Anno A – 14 giugno 2026

Rito Romano

Es 19, 2-6; Sal 99; Rm 5, 6-11;  Mt 9, 36 -10,8

 

1)    Lo sguardo compassionevole  di Gesù.

“Gesù, vedendo le folle, ne ebbe compassione” (Mt 9, 36): lo sguardo di Gesù si volge dalle malattie fisiche della folla al suo disorientamento. Luii vede “folle stanche e sfinite, come pecore senza pastore” (Ibid.), dunque bisognose non soltanto di salute, ma anche di guida e di significato della vita.

La “compassione” è  il sentimento che spinge Gesù a occuparsi delle folle malate e disorientate. La compassione è un sentimento che dice una profonda e interiore partecipazione. Il vocabolo greco fa riferimento al luogo fisico 'amore materno, il grembo. Si tratta di un amore viscerale, ostinato, che quasi non vede ragione, prescindendo da ogni valutazione di merito. Gesù ama la folla e basta. Direi di più: Gesù non solo prova compassione per l’umnaità sofferente. Lui, il Cristo è la compassione di dio per l’uomo, per ogni uomo e per tutto l’uomo. In effetti compassione che Dio ha provato per la nostra condizione umana lo ha spinto a divenire Egli stesso partecipe della nostra condizione umana e della nostra natura. La compassione di Dio per l’uomo è nel fatto che “il Verbo si fece carne e venne ad abitare in mezzo a noi” (Gv 1,14a). 

Abitando in mezzo a noi, il Redentore prova dolore per il dolore del mondo, il molto dolore dell’uomo. Gesù è la compassione, il pianto di Dio fatto carne. Piangere è amare con gli occhi. Quello che con i suoi occhi pieni di tenerezza compassionevole Lui guarda non è solamente lo sterminato accampamento umano, dove ha piantato la sua tenda.  Gesù vede una moltitudine carica di dolore e di paure. Vede greggi di pecore smarrite perché non hanno pastore. La sua risposta è un dolore che lo prende alle viscere. E chiama i dodici e affida loro queste pecore smarrite e sofferenti: dovranno preservarle, custodirle, salvarle con la compassione, il con-patire, il meno sdolcinato dei sentimenti. Salvarlo e seminarlo nel mondo, attraverso sei azioni: predicate, guarite, risuscitate, sanate, liberate e donate.

Il brando evangelico di oggi ci rivele che la ragione d’essere ultima della chiamata degli Apostoli: rendere presente in mezzo alle folle la compassione di Gesù. Ogni uomo, a causa della sua stanchezza e sfinitezza, ha bisogno di vedere e di sentire la “compassione di Dio” nei suoi riguardi. Gli apostoli esistono perchél’esperienza della vicinanza di Dio sia una possibilità  reale offerta ad ogni uomo in ogni tempo.

Lo aveva ben compreso l’apostolo Paolo, quando scriveva ai suoi cristiani di Filippi: “Dio mi è  testimone del profondo affetto che ho per tutti voi nell’amore di Cristo Gesù” (Fil 1,8). L’affetto che l’apostolo sente per i suoi fedeli non è un trasporto semplicemente umano; è il trasporto stesso di Cristo. Poichè non è più Paolo che vive, ma è Cristo che vive in Paolo, egli nel suo amore verso i fedeli non è più mosso dal suo cuore ma dal cuore stesso di Cristo.

Perchéla compassione di Dio verso l’uomo continui a farsi sentire in ogni tempo e luogo, gli apostoli sono dotati dello stesso potere di Ges+: “Diede loro il potere di scacciare gli spiriti immondi e di guarire ogni sorta di malattie e d’infermità”. Non solo. Ma sono mandati per dire all’uomo che “il regno dei cieli è vicino”. L’Apostolo dunque ha un compito “informativo”: notificare un fatto, che cioè “il regno dei cieli è vicino”; ed un potere “effettivo”: far accadere il fatto che notifica: “guarite gli infermi, risuscitate i morti, sanate i lebbrosi, cacciate i demoni”.

 

 

2)    L’invio in missione.

Tuttavia, nel Vangelo di oggi, Gesù invia i suoi Apostoli in missione, dicendo di non andare tra i pagani e di non entrare nelle città dei samaritani. Esprimendosi così ,sembra che intenda limitare l’orizzonte alla missione. Certamente è un brano, che va compreso nella situazione storica del momento. Sembrerebbe un invio che limita il compito dell’evangelizzazione. Ma non è del tutto così se lo si guarda bene: almeno due elementi, infatti, mantengono intatta la loro freschezza. Il primo è che non si parla semplicemente di “Casa d’Israele”, ma di “pecore perdute”. La prima espressione dice il limite, ma la seconda dice la vera natura dell'universalità evangelica, che non sta semplicemente nell'andare dovunque, ma nella ricerca dei perduti. Gesù stesso non è uscito dai confini di Israele. Missione non è correre dovunque e arrivare dappertutto. L'essenziale è far maturare, anche in un luogo solo, quei valori che hanno in sé una carica di universalità. L'essenziale è essere, dovunque ci si trovi, un segno dell'amore di Dio per tutti, sia pure di fronte ad un uomo solo.

Come quella di Gesù, anche la missione del discepolo è itinerante: «andando». E il suo compito è indicato da cinque forti indicazionii: la prima è riguarda il compito del servizio della Parola (predicare), le altre i quattro riguardano la liberazione dell'uomo dalle sue sofferenze (guarire, risuscitare, mondare, cacciare i demoni). E, poi, Cristo non descrive più i compiti da fare, ma come questi compiti devono esssere eseguiti:  “Gratuitamente avete ricevuto, gratuitamente date”. L'espressione greca dice la gratuità più assoluta. Gesù non ha mai preso nulla, così deve fare anche il suo discepolo. Non soltanto non si chiede nulla in cambio, ma nemmeno si guarda la dignità dell'ammalato o la particolare utilità della sua guarigione. Questa gratuità è la caratteristica essenziale dell'azione salvifica di Dio.

La missione, che sgorga dal cuore compassionevole di Cristp è quella di predicare e guarire la vita, o almeno prendersene curarecando sollievo alla soffereza. Tutto ciò per evangeizzaire proclamando con le parole e con le azioni che  Dio a cura di ogni essere umano. Dio è vicino a ciascuno di noi con amore. Forse ci aspetteremoa una risposta più risolutiva al dolore delle folle, un soccorso più efficiente: perché il Signore soccorre la fragilità dell'uomo con la fragilità di altri uomini, anziché con la sua onnipotenza? Perché Lui interviene per i suoi figli, attraverso gli altri suoi figli. La risposta di Gesù alla sofferenza del mondo è ciascuno di noi, chimati ad essere le sue mani che leniscono le ferite umane.

Un esempio di persone lavoratrici della pietà, sono le Vergini consacrate. Queste donne ci mostrano come si puè essere, nella sempolicitò della vita quotidiana,  mietitori di sofferenza, per portare il sollievo aredentemente desiderato con mani che sostengono e accarezzano, con parole che accarezzano il cuore.

Seguendo l’invito di Cristo e l’esempio di queste anime consacrate, che hanno bevuto alla Fonte amorosa della vita, gratuitamente diamo quanto gratuitemente abbiamo ricevuto

 Gesù ha vissura la passione della compassione, umilmente seguiamolo annunciando con le parole e l’esempio che solo un amore senza condizioni può generare amanti senza condizioni.

 

Lettura Patristica

Sant’Agostino d’Ippona

DISCORSO 259

 

Sii compassionevole col tuo simile e Dio avrà compassione di te. Tu e l'altro siete ambedue uomini e ambedue miseri. Dio invece non è misero ma misericordioso. Che se il misero non usa compassione col misero come potrà presumere che gli venga usata misericordia da colui che è esente da ogni miseria? Riflettete, fratelli, su quello che vi dico. Immaginate uno che sia crudele contro una persona incorsa in un naufragio: sarà crudele finché anche lui non incorrerà nel naufragio. Se invece vi sarà incorso, ricordando la vita vissuta antecedentemente, quando s'imbatterà in un naufrago si sentirà colpito dall'identica condizione di miseria in cui s'era trovato lui stesso in passato, e, se non si era lasciato muovere a compassione per l'appartenenza alla comune famiglia umana, lo piegherà l'esperienza della identica sventura. Quant'è facile che provi compassione per uno schiavo uno che è vissuto in schiavitù! Come sorge spontanea, nell'animo di un operaio che non è stato pagato, la pena per un compagno di lavoro defraudato! Di una persona che piange la sorte del proprio figlio, come si commuove a calde lacrime uno che ha dovuto altre volte piangere per l'identico motivo! Concludendo: il trovarsi nella stessa sventura infrange la durezza del cuore umano, per quanto grande essa sia. E ora a te, che o sei stato in miseria o hai timore di caderci. Finché infatti sei in questo mondo, devi temere le sventure in cui finora non ti sei trovato, come pure devi ricordare quelle che hai vissute e quelle che vivi al presente. Ebbene, se ricordi le disavventure del passato, se temi le future, se attualmente sei nell'afflizione, non nutrirai compassione per chi è caduto in qualche disgrazia e ha bisogno del tuo soccorso aspettando così la compassione di colui che è al di sopra di ogni miseria? Se tu non dài nemmeno un po' di quello che hai ricevuto da Dio, come fai a pretendere che Dio ti dia quel che da te non ha ricevuto?

 

 

 

 

 

Reinvigorated by the food that God gives us, let us bring Jesus to the hearts of all (Pope Leo XIV)

Corpus Domini - Year A - June 07, 2026

 

Roman Rite

Dt 8, 2-3, 14-16; Ps 147; 1 Cor 10: 16-17; Jn 6.51-58

Ambrosian Rite

Dt 8, 2-3. 14b-16a; Ps 147; 1 Cor 10: 16-17; Jn 6: 51-58

 

1) Amazement for an immense gift.

Last Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, mystery of Love inexhaustible that is source of Life incessantly given and communicated and that makes us His dwelling where everything finds God, listens to God, whispers to God, hopes and loves God. “God is love: for this reason, He is Trinity ... Love supposes one who loves, what is loved and the love itself” (St. Augustine, De Trinitate, VIII, 10, 14). The father is, in the Trinity, the one who loves, the source and the principle of everything; The Son is the one who is loved; the Holy Spirit is the love with which they love. 

Today, solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Domini as it is still called, we are invited to celebrate in wonder the mystery of the true presence in the Eucharist of the Lord who gives us the food and drink of heaven to feed our earthly life and to face the path to heavenly life. Offering himself entirely, the Risen Crucified gives himself to us, who thus discover that we are made to feed ourselves on God. Our hungry nature bears the mark of an indigence that is satisfied by the grace of the Eucharist. As St. Augustine writes, Christ is truly “panis qui reficit et non deficit; panis qui sumi potest, consumi non potest” (Sermon 130, 2): a bread that nourishes and does not fail; a bread that can be eaten but cannot be exhausted” (Pope Leo XIV, Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, June  22, 2025).

Today, the Church not only celebrates the Eucharist but takes it solemnly in procession. What the Redeemer has given us in the intimacy of the Cenacle, today we manifest openly because the love of Christ is not reserved to some but is destined for all.

Today, we publicly announce that the Sacrifice of Christ is for the salvation of the whole world. This is not the case only for the past. The fact that God loved men to such a degree as to send his own Son to redeem them from their miserable condition, is not a past event to regret as if now concluded. On the contrary, it is poured into the present. That love is present, alive and working today in an amazing way.

Today, the Church invites us to enter with wonder into this "mystery of faith," which the priest, each time he celebrates Mass, summarizes with the ineffable words of Jesus in: "Take and eat, this is my body. Take and drink this is my chalice of my blood. Do this in memory of Me "(Lk 22, 16). 

In his encyclical on the Eucharist John Paul II described this amazement: "When I think of the Eucharist, and look at my life as a priest, as a Bishop and as the Successor of Peter, I naturally recall the many times and places in which I was able to celebrate it. I remember the parish church of Niegowić, where I had my first pastoral assignment, the collegiate church of Saint Florian in Krakow, Wawel Cathedral, and Saint Peter's Basilica and …in chapels built along mountain paths, on lakeshores and seacoasts; I have celebrated it on altars built in stadiums and in city squares. This varied scenario of celebrations of the Eucharist has given me a powerful experience of its universal and, so to speak, cosmic character. Yes, cosmic! Because even when it is celebrated on the humble altar of a country church, the Eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world. It unites heaven and earth. It embraces and permeates all creation. The Son of God became man in order to restore all creation, in one supreme act of praise, to the One who made it from nothing… Truly this is the mysterium fidei which is accomplished in the Eucharist: the world which came forth from the hands of God the Creator now returns to him redeemed by Christ."(Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 8).

 In the Mass and for the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist, each of us must live the same wonder, joy and gratitude spoken of by St John Paul II in the passage I have just quoted.

Let us worship before this great and merciful Mystery. Christ could not do more for us. Indeed, in the Eucharist, the Redeemer shows us a love that goes to the "extreme" (see Jn 13: 1), a love that knows no measure and no borders.

 This aspect of the universal charity of the Eucharistic Sacrament is based on the very words of the Redeemer. Establishing it, he did not just say "This is my body", "this is my blood", but he added "given to you ... poured out for you" (Lk 22: 19-20). He did not only say that what he gave them to eat and drink was his body and his blood, but he also expressed his sacrificial value, making sacramentally present his sacrifice that, a few hours later, would take place on the Cross for the salvation of all.

 

2) Begging for the Crucified Body of Christ.

In the Eucharist, Jesus is present not as a thing, but as a Person, that is, as an "I” that gives himself to a "you", who begs for him.

When we receive Communion, we stretch our hand to receive the Lord of Life. We are, therefore, beggars who tend to seek the love of the Bread of eternal life. We recognize that we are poor who receive everything. Indeed, we receive the Everything, which is not something but Someone, who gives himself to us. Receiving the Bread of Life is the communion of people. We meet Christ, and His Heart speaks to our hearts. 

In this Eucharistic meeting, the Redeemer not only speaks to us but acts: "It is Christ who works there, who is on the altar. It is a gift of Christ, who is made present and gathers us around him to feed us with his Word and his life. Through the Eucharist, Christ wants to enter our existence and permeate it with his grace. Therefore, let us live the Eucharist with a spirit of faith, prayer, forgiveness, penitence, community, joy, and concern for the needy and the needs of many brothers and sisters in the certainty that the Lord will do what he has promised us: eternal life "(Pope Francis). Life is the love affair with the Father who gives it and with the brothers who are his children like you. This is already eternal life. It is the life of God, and that is what Jesus wants to communicate to us.

Through the Eucharist, a relationship of full communion exists between Jesus and us so that we can experience the God who so loved the world to give his Son for it. "Eat the living bread ... eat the body ...” eat the meat, eat love, and eat God: everything is extremely concrete and everything is of infinite density. Eat the incarnate Love of God so that God may continue to incarnate and the flesh of man may experience the life of God. May the love of man become the Love of God, may his glory shine. Everything is God and everything is so concretely human. Everything is amazing: everything requires "only" the courage to believe the infinite "Love" of God in the darkness of the Cross of Jesus.

            The Host is closely linked to the Cross. "In the Eucharist, Christ always reapplies the self-giving that he did on the Cross. All his life is an act of total self-sharing for love "(Pope Francis). 

The Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Passion and Death of Christ par excellence. Jesus instituted it in one "excess" of love, on the night when he was betrayed, when, after blessing and breaking the bread and the wine, he distributed them to the Apostles saying, "Do this in memory of me." The Holy Mass mystically renews the death of Christ and proclaims the Resurrection in the waiting for of His coming.

            However, it must be remembered that the sacrifice of Christ is a sacrifice of communion and praise. 

Already in the Old Testament, among the various types of sacrifices, there was the one called "sacrifice of communion "or" offer of peace " because it wanted to express the union between God and the donor through a thank you offer. The victim was divided among God, the priest and the one who was making the offer. The part destined for God was burned on the altar. The faithful ate before Yahweh, almost in his company. It was the sacrificial meal in which a spiritual communion was established, an alliance between Yahweh and the one who was offering the sacrifice. It is clear here the idea of "eating at the Lord's table" as his dinner companions.

In the Mass, thanksgiving is the most significant aspect and surprisingly is done right from the start. We notice that Jesus, even before resurrecting Lazarus, raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for listening to me "(Jn 11:41). He gives thanks before doing the miracle, sure that the Father will do it.

Turning his own death into a sacrifice of thanksgiving, Jesus makes us understand that for him the Passion is a gift from the Father, and his glorification (see Jn 12: 28-33; 13: 31-32). Death itself is transformed into victory; Jesus wins death with death; His death becomes sacrifice of thanksgiving.

The Sunday and daily Eucharist should have the effect of transforming the whole life into an everlasting sacrifice of thanksgiving through Christ, making us live every event as a gift. I say it should, because we often participate with distraction, by habit, with pretention or for vanity. The Eucharist is a gift of mercy that we can receive after having asked for forgiveness and said "Lord, I am not worthy to attend your table; but give only one word and I will be saved.”

The Church has chosen, as the last moment in preparation for the reception of the Eucharist, to repeat the words of the Roman centurion of Capernaum when he asked Jesus to heal his faithful servant paralyzed and suffering: "Lord, I am not worthy that you enter under my roof, but say only one word, and my servant shall be healed "(Mt 8: 8). The attitude of extreme humility and deep confidence that characterizes the demand of this pagan officer when requesting the salvific intervention of Christ in his home, - a true profession of faith -, must be the attitude of all of us, priests and faithful alike (these words must be said by the priest together with the faithful) as we are about to receive the Lord in our hearts.

 

3) The consecrated Virgins and the Eucharist.

Certainly, none of us is "worthy" of Jesus, of his presence and of his love, but we know in faith that we only need a nod, a word, a single glance, and He can save us. 

Attentive to this word and with the eyes of the heart open to receive this glance, the consecrated Virgins are significant witnesses of this humility that makes possible for Christ to dwell in the human heart and be brought into the world.

To the Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ these women unite their sacrifice in the exclusive gift of giving themselves to Christ, thus manifesting in a special way the Eucharistic dimension of the daily life of every Christian.

Sacrifice is necessary for true life, which, for this to be, must be lived eucharistically. Everybody is aware of the strength that this temptation has in today's cultural landscape. The sirens of our time sing the melody of a life without sacrifice in affection, work, and so on. In this way they condemn men to remain stranded in the trials of the everyday life, deluding them that sacrifices should not exist.

How to understand and live this "strange necessity of sacrifice"? Having experience of self-giving and of gratuity.

There is a relationship between renunciation and joy, between sacrifice and dilation of the heart. The sacrifice made by chaste love opens the heart, attests the preferential love for the Lord and symbolizes, in the most eminent and absolute way, the mystery of the union of the mystical body with the body of the consecrated, of the bride with her eternal groom. Consecrated virginity, finally, reaches, transforms and penetrates the human being in the deep of his and her soul, through a mysterious resemblance to Christ, who in the Eucharist offers to us his Body, Bread of Life.

 

 

Patristic reading

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Sermon 131

 

 1). We have heard the True Master, the Divine Redeemer, the human Saviour, commending to us our Ransom, His Blood. For He spake to us of His Body and Blood; He called His Body Meat, His Blood Drink. The faithful recognise the Sacrament of the faithful. But the hearers what else do they but hear? When therefore commending such Meat and such Drink He said, “Except ye shall eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, ye shall have no life in you; “1 (and this that He said concerning life, who else said it but the Life Itself? But that man shall have death, not life, who shall think that the Life is false), His disciples were offended, not all of them indeed, but very many, saying within themselves, “This is an hard saying, who can hear it? “2 But when the Lord knew this in Himself, and heard the murmurings of their thought, He answered them, thinking though uttering nothing, that they might understand that they were heard, and might cease to entertain such thoughts. What then did He answer? “Doth this offend you?”“What then if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?”3 What meaneth this? “Doth this offend you?” “Do ye imaginethat I am about to make divisions of this My Body which ye see; and to cut up My Members, and give them to you? ‘What then if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?’” Assuredly, He who could ascend Whole could not be consumed. So then He both gave us of His Body and Blood a healthful refreshment, and briefly solved so great a question as to His Own Entireness. Let them then who eat, eat on, and them that drink, drink; let them hunger and thirst; eat Life, drink Life. That eating, is to be refreshed; but thou art in such wise refreshed, as that that whereby thou art refreshed, faileth not. That drinking, what is it but to live? Eat Life, drink Life; thou shalt have life, and the Life is Entire. But then this shall be, that is, the Body and the Blood of Christ shall be each man’s Life; if what is taken in the Sacrament visibly is in the truth itself eaten spiritually, drunk spiritually. For we have heard the Lord Himself saying, “It is the Spirit That quickeneth, but the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken unto you, are Spirit and Life. But there are some of you,” saith He, “that believe not.”4 Such were they who said, “This is a hard saying, who can hear it?” It is hard, but only to the hard; that is, it is incredible, but only to the incredulous. 2. But in order to teach us that this very believing is matter of gift, not of desert, He saith, “As I have said unto you, no man cometh unto Me, except it were given him of My Father.”5 Now as to where the Lord said this, if we call to mind the foregoing words of the Gospel, we shall find that He had said, “No man cometh unto Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him.”6 He did not lead, but draw. This violence is done to the heart, not the body. Why then dost thou marvel? Believe, and thou comest; love, and thou art drawn. Do not suppose here any rough and uneasy violence; it is gentle, it is sweet; it is the very sweetness that draweth thee. Is not a sheep drawn, when fresh grass is shown to it in its hunger? Yet I imagine that it is not bodily driven on, but fast bound by desire. In such wise do thou come too to Christ; do not conceive of long journeyings; where thou believest, there thou comest. For unto Him, who is everywhere we come by love, not by sailing. But forasmuch as even in this kind of voyage, waves and tempests of divers temptations abound; believe on the Crucified; that thy faith may be able to ascend the Wood. Thou shalt not sink, but shalt be borne upon the Wood. Thus, even thus, amid the waves of this world did he sail, who said, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”7 3. But wonderful it is, that when Christ Crucified is preached, two hear, one despiseth, the other ascendeth. Let him that despiseth, impute it to himself; let not him that ascendeth, arrogate it to himself. For he hath beard from the True Master ; “No man cometh unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father.” let him joy, that it hath been given; let him render thanks to Him who giveth it, with a humble, not an arrogant heartlest what he hath attained8 through humility, he lose through pride. For even they who are already walking in this way of righteousness, if they attribute it to themselves, and to their own strength, perish out of it. And therefore Holy Scripture teaching us humility saith by the Apostle, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”9 And lest hereupon they should attribute ought to themselves, because he said, “Work,” he subjoined immediately, “For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”10 “It is God who worketh in you;” therefore “with fear and trembling,” make a valley, receive the rain. Low grounds are filled, high grounds are dried up. Grace is rain. Why dost thou marvel then, if “God resist the proud, and giveth grace unto the lowly “?11 Therefore, “with fear and trembling;” that is, with humility. “Be not high-minded, but fear.”12 Fear that thou mayest be filled; be not high-minded, test thou be dried up. 4. But you will say, “I am walking in this way already; once there was need for me to learn, there was need for me to know by the teaching of the law what I had to do: now I have the free choice of the will; who shall withdraw me from this way?” If thou read carefully, thou wilt find that a certain man began to uplift himself, on a certain abundance of his, which he had nevertheless received; but that the Lord in mercy, to teach him humility, took away what He had given; and he was on a sudden reduced to poverty, and confessing the mercy of God in his recollection, he said, “In my abundance I said, I shall never be moved.”13 “In my abundance I said.” But I said it, I who am a man said it; “All men are liars, I said.”14 Therefore, “in my abundance I said;” so great was the abundance, that I dared to say. “I shall never be moved.” What next? “O Lord, in Thy favour Thou gavest strength to my beauty.” But “Thou turnedst away Thy Face from me, and I was troubled.”15 “Thou hast shown me,” saith he, “that that wherein I did abound, was of Thee. Thou hast shown me Whence I should seek, to Whom attribute what I had received, to Whom I ought to render thanks, to Whom I should run in my thirst, Whereby be filled, and with Whom keep that whereby I should be filled. ‘For my strength will I keep to Thee;’16 whereby I am by Thy bounty filled, through Thy safe keeping I will not lose. ‘My strength will I keep to Thee.’ That Thou mightest show me this, ‘Thou turnedst away Thy Face from me, and I was troubled.’ ‘Troubled,’ because dried up; dried up, because exalted. Say then thou dry and parched one, that thou mayest be filled again; ‘My soul is as earth without water unto Thee.’17 Say, ‘My soul is as earth without water unto Thee.’ For Thou hast said, not the Lord, ‘I shall never be moved.’ Thou hast said it, presuming on thine own strength; but it was not of thyself, and thou didst think as if it were.” 5. What then doth the Lord say? “Serve ye the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling.”18 So the Apostle too, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who worketh in you.” Therefore rejoice with trembling: “Lest at any time the Lord be angry.” I see that you anticipate me by your crying out. For you know what I am about to say, you anticipate it by crying out. And whence have ye this, but that He taught you to whom ye have by believing come? This then He saith; hear what ye know already; I am not teaching, but in preaching am calling to your remembrance; nay, I am neither teaching, seeing that ye know already, nor calling to remembrance, seeing that ye remember, but let us say all together what together with us ye retain. “Embrace discipline, and rejoice,” but, “with trembling,”19 that, humble ye may ever hold fast that which ye have received. “Lest at any time the Lord be angry;” with the proud of course, attributing to themselves what they have, not rendering thanks to Him, from whom they have. “Lest at any time the Lord be angry, and ye perish from the righteous way.” Did he say, Lest at any time the Lord be angry, and ye come not into the righteous way “? Did he say, “Lest the Lord be angry, and He bring you not to the righteous way “? or “admit you not into the righteous way? Ye are walking in it already, be not proud, lest ye even perish from it. ‘And ye perish,’ saith he, ‘from the righteous way.’” “When His wrath shall be kindled in a short time”20 against you. At no distant time. As soon as thou art proud, thou losest at once what thou hadst received. As though man terrified by all this were to say, “What shall I do then?” It follows, “Blessed are all they that trust in Him:” not in themselves, but in Him. “By grace are we saved, not of ourselves, but it is the gift of God.”21 167 6. Peradventure ye are saying, “What does he mean, that he is so often saying this? A second and a third time he says it; and scarcely ever speaks, but when he says it.” Would that I may not say it in vain! For men there are unthankful to grace, attributing much to poor and disabled nature. True it is, when man was created he received great power of free-will; but he lost it by sin. He fell into death, became infirm, was left in the way by the robbers half dead; the Samaritan, which is by interpretation keeper, passing by lifted him up on his own beast;22 he is still being brought to the inn. Why is he lifted up? He is still in process of curing. “But,” he will say, “it is enough for me that in baptism I received remission of all sins.” Because iniquity was blotted out, was therefore infirmity brought to an end? “I received,” says he, “remission of all sins.” It is quite true. All sins were blotted out in the Sacrament of Baptism, all entirely, of words, deeds, thoughts, all were blotted out. But this is the “oil and wine” which was poured in by the way. Ye remember, beloved Brethren, that man who was wounded by the robbers, and half dead by the way, how he was strengthened, by receiving oil and wine for his wounds. His error indeed was already pardoned, and yet his weakness is in process of healing in the inn. The inn, if ye recognise it, is the Church. In the time present, an inn, because in life we are passing by: it will be a home, whence we shall never remove, when we shall have got in perfect health unto the kingdom of heaven. Meanwhile receive we gladly our treatment in the inn, and weak as we still are, glory we not of sound health: lest through our pride we gain nothing else, but never for all our treatment to be cured. 7. “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”23 Say, yea say to thy soul, “Thou art still in this life, still bearest about a frail flesh, still “doth the corruptible body press down the soul;”24 still after the entireness of remission hast thou received the remedy of prayer; for still, whilst thy weaknesses are being healed, dost thou say, “Forgive us our debts.”25 Say then to thy soul, thou lowly valley, not an exalted hill; say to thy soul, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”26 What benefits? Tell them, enumerate them, render thanks. What benefits? “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.”27 This took place in baptism. What takes place now? “Who healeth all thy weaknesses.” This takesplace now; I acknowledge. But as long as I am here, “the corruptible body presseth down the soul.” Say then also that which comes next, “Who redeemeth thy life from corruption.”28 After redemption from corruption, what remaineth? “When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is thy contention?” There rightly, “O death, where is thy sting?”29 Thou seekest its place, and findest it not. What is “the sting of death”? What is, “O death, where is thy sting?” Where is sin? Thou seekest, and it is nowhere. For “the sting of death is sin.” They are the Apostle’s words, not mine. Then shall it be said, “O death, where is thy sting?” Sin shall nowhere be, neither to surprise thee, nor to assault thee, nor to inflame30 thy conscience. Then it shall not be said, “Forgive us our debts.” But what shall be said? “O Lord our God, give us peace: for Thou hast rendered all things unto us.”31 8. Finally, after the redemption from all corruption, what remaineth but the crown of righteousness? This at least remaineth, but even in it, or under it, let not the head be swollen that it may receive the crown. Hear, mark well the Psalm, how that crown will not have a swollen head. After he had said, “Who redeemeth thy life from corruption;” he saith, “Who crowneth thee.” Here thou wert ready at once to say, “‘Crowneth thee,’ is an acknowledgment of my merits, my own excellence hath done it; it is the payment of a debt, not a gift.” Give ear rather to the Psalm. For it is thou again that sayest this; and “all men are liars.”32 Hear what God saith; “Who crowneth thee with mercy and pity.” Of His mercy He crowneth thee, of His pity He crowneth thee. For thou hadst no worthiness that He should call thee, and being called should justify thee, being justified glorify thee. “The remnant is saved by the election of grace. But if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. For to him that worketh, the reward shall not be reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.”33 The Apostle saith, “Not according to grace, but according to debt.” But “thee He crowneth with pity and mercy;” and if thy own merits have gone before, God saith to thee, “Examine well thy merits, and thou shalt see that they are My gifts.” 9. This then is the righteousness of God. As it is called, “The Lord’s salvation,”34 not whereby the Lord is saved, but which He giveth to them whom He saveth; so too the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord is called the righteousness of God, not as that whereby the Lord is righteous, but whereby He justifieth those whom of ungodly He maketh righteous. But some, as the Jews in former times, both wish to be called Christians, and still ignorant of God’s righteousness, desire to establish their own, even in our own times, in the times of open grace, the times of the full revelation of grace which before was hidden; in the times of grace now manifested in the floor, which once lay hid in the fleece. I see that a few have understood me, that more have not understood, whom I will by no means defraud by keeping silence. Gideon, one of the righteous men of old, asked for a sign from the Lord, and said, “I pray, Lord, that this fleece which I put in the floor be bedewed,35 and that the floor be dry.”36 And it was so; the fleece was bedewed, the whole floor was dry. In the morning he wrung out tim fleece in a basin; forasmuch as to the humble is grace given; and in a basin, ye know what the Lord did to His disciples. Again, he asked for another sign; “O Lord, I would,” saith he, “that the fleece be dry, the floor bedewed.” And it was so. Call to mind the time of the Old Testament, grace was hidden in a cloud, as the rain in the fleece. Marc now the time of the New Testament, consider well the nation of the Jews, thou wilt find it as a dry fleece; whereas the whole world, like that floor, is full of grace, not hidden, but manifested. Wherefore we are forced exceedingly to bewail our brethren, who strive not against hidden, but against open and manifested grace. There is allowance for the Jews. What shall we say of Christians? Wherefore are ye enemies to the grace of Christ? Why rely ye on yourselves? Why unthankful? For why did Christ come? Was not nature here before? Was not nature here, which ye only deceive by your excessive praise? Was not the Law here? But the Apostle says, “If righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.”37 What the Apostle says of the Law, that say we of nature to these men. “If righteousness come by nature, then Christ is dead in vain.” 10. What then was said of the Jews, the same altogether do we see in these men now. “They have a zeal of God: I hear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”38 What is, “not according to knowledge”? “For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”39 My Brethren, share with me in my sorrow. When ye find such as these, do not hide them; be there no such misdirected40 mercy in you; by all means, when ye find such, hide them not. Convince the gainsayers, and those who resist, bring to us. For already have two41 councils on this question been sent to theApostolic see; and rescripts also have come from thence. The question has been brought to an issue; would that their error may sometime be brought to an issue too! Therefore do we advise that they may take heed, we teach that they may be instructed, we pray that they may be changed. Let us turn to the Lord, etc.

1 (Jn 6,53

2 (Jn 6,60

 3 (Jn 6,61-62

. 4 (Jn 6,63-64. 

5 (Jn 6,65 

6 (Jn 6,44 

7 (Ga 6,14). 

8 Meruit.

 9 (Ph 2,12 

10 (Ph 2,13 

11 (Jc 4,6 

12 (Rm 11,20 

13 (Ps 29,6 Sept. (xxx. English version). 

14 (Ps 116,11 

15 (Ps 29,8 Sept. (xxx. 7, English version). 

16 (Ps 58,10 Sept. (lix. 9, English version). 

17 (Ps 142,6 Sept. (cxliii. English version). 

18 (Ps 2,11 Sept. 

19 (Ps 2,12 Sept. 

20 (Ps 2,13 Sept. 

21 (Ep 2,8). 

22 (Lc 10,30 etc.

 23 (Ps 103,1 

24 (Sg 9,15

 25 (Mt 6,12 

26 (Ps 103,2 

27 (Ps 103,3 

28 (Ps 103,4 

29 (1Co 15,54-55. 

30 Titillet. 

31 (Is 26,12 Sept.

 32 (Ps 116,11 

33 (Rm 11,5-6 Rm 4,4. 

34 (Ps 3,9 Sept. (iii. 8, English version)). 

35 Compluatur. 

36 (Jg 6,37 37 Gal 2,21. 

38 (Rm 10,20 

39 (Rm 10,3 40 Perversa. 

41 Of Carthage and Milevis which are among the Epistles of St. Augustin, 175, 176. And the rescripts of the Roman Pontiff, Innocent (A.D. 417), in the Epistles 181, 182. Ben. ed. note.

 

 

Revigorés par la nourriture que Dieu nous donne, nous portons Jésus dans le cœur de tous (Pape Léon XIV)

 Fête-Dieu – Année A – 7 juin 2026

 

Rite romain

Dt 8, 2-3.14-16 ; Ps 147 ; 1 Cor 10, 16 – 17 ; Jn 6, 51 - 58

Rite Ambrosien

Dt 8, 2-3.14-16 ; Ps 147 ; 1 Cor 10, 16 – 17 ; Jn 6, 51 – 58

1) Etonnement pour un don immense.

Dimanche dernier, nous avons célébré la Trinité, mystère d’Amour qui est source inépuisable de Vie qui se donne et se communique incessamment. Il fait de nous sa demeure où chaque chose retrouve Dieu, écoute Dieu, murmure Dieu, espère et aime Dieu. « Dieu est amour: c’est pour cela que Lui est Trinité... L’amour suppose un qui aime, un qui est aimé et l’amour même (Saint Augustin, De Trinitate, VIII, 10, 14). Le Père est, dans la Trinité, celui qui aime, la source et le début de tout ; le Fils est celui qui est aimé; le Saint Esprit est l’amour avec lequel ils s’aiment.

Aujourd’hui, Fête-Dieu, solennité du très Saint Corps et Sang du Christ ou Corpus Domini comme on l’appelle encore, nous sommes invités à célébrer dans l’étonnement le mystère de la présence réelle du Seigneur dans l’Eucharistie qui nous donne la nourriture et la boisson du ciel, pour alimenter notre vie terrestre et pour affronter le chemin vers la vie céleste. « En s’offrant entièrement, le Christ ressuscité et crucifié se donne à nous, qui découvrons ainsi que nous sommes faits pour nous nourrir de Dieu. Notre nature affamée porte la marque d’une indigence que la grâce de l’Eucharistie apaise. Comme l’écrit saint Augustin, le Christ est véritablement « un pain insuffisant, et non déficient ; un pain qui peut consommer, mais qui ne se consomme pas » (Sermon 130, 2) : un pain qui nourrit et ne manque jamais ; un pain qui peut être mangé, mais qui ne peut jamais s’épuiser » (Pape Léon XIV, Solennité du très Saint Corps et Sang du Christ, 22 juin 2025).

Aujourd’hui l’Église célèbre non seulement l’Eucharistie mais la porte aussi en procession. Ce que le Rédempteur nous a donné dans l’intimité du cénacle, nous le manifestons aujourd’hui ouvertement parce que l’amour du Christ n’est pas réservé à certains mais est destiné à tous.

            Aujourd’hui nous annonçons publiquement que le sacrifice du Christ est pour le salut du monde entier. Et cela ne vaut pas pour le passé. Le fait que Dieu ait aimé les hommes jusqu’au point d’envoyer son Fils pour les racheter de leur condition misérable, n’est pas un passé à regretter comme étant désormais fini : en effet il se déverse dans le présent. Cet amour est actuel, vif et opératoire aujourd’hui de manière étonnante.

Aujourd’hui l’Eglise nous invite à entrer avec étonnement dans ce « mystère de la foi », que le prêtre - chaque fois qu’il célèbre la Messe - synthétise avec les ineffables paroles de Jésus avec lesquelles le grand don de Lui-même se réalise : « Prenez et mangez, ceci est mon corps. Prenez et buvez ceci est le calice de mon sang. Faites ceci en ma mémoire » (Lc 22,16.)
            Dans son encyclique sur l’Eucharistie, Saint Jean-Paul II manifestait cet étonnement en écrivant de cette façon : « Lorsque je pense à l’Eucharistie, parcourant ma vie de prêtre, d' évêque, de successeur de Pierre, je me rappelle spontanément tous les moments et tous les lieux où je l’ai célébrée... la cathédrale de Wawel, la basilique Saint -Pierre... dans les chapelles situées sur les sentiers de montagne, près des lacs, au bord des mers, je l’ai célébrée sur des autels construits dans les stades, dans les places des villes. Ce scénario si varié m’en fait expérimenter fortement le caractère universel et, pour ainsi dire, cosmique. Oui, cosmique. Parce que lorsque l’Eucharistie est célébrée sur le petit autel de campagne, elle est toujours célébrée, dans un certain sens, sur l’autel du monde. Elle unit le ciel et la terre. Elle comprend et imprègne toute la création. Le Fils de Dieu s’est fait homme pour restituer - dans un suprême acte de louange  -toute la création à Celui qui l’a crée à partir de rien. C’est vraiment cela le Mysterium Fidei que l’on célèbre dans l’Eucharistie; le monde, sorti des mains de Dieu créateur, retourne à lui, sauvé par le Christ (Lettre Enc. Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 8)

Dans la messe et par le don de Jésus dans l’Eucharistie, chacun de nous doit vivre la même merveille, joie et gratitude dont St Jean-Paul II parle dans le passage que je viens de citer.
            Mettons nous en adoration devant ce grand mystère et de miséricorde. Le Christ ne pouvait pas faire plus pour nous. Vraiment, dans l’Eucharistie, le Rédempteur nous montre un amour qui va jusqu' à l’extrême (cf. Jn 13,1), un amour qui ne connaît pas de mesures ni de limites.
            Cet aspect de charité universelle du sacrement eucharistique est fondé sur les paroles mêmes du Sauveur. En l’instituant, il ne s’est pas limité à dire « Ceci est mon corps », « Ceci est mon sang », mais il a ajouté, « donné pour vous... versé pour vous… » (Lc 22,19-20). Il n’affirma pas seulement que ce qu’il leur donnait à manger et à boire était son corps et son sang mais il en a exprimé la valeur sacrificielle, en rendant présent, d’une manière sacramentelle, son sacrifice qui se s’accomplirait sur la croix, quelques heures après, pour le salut de tous.

 

2) Mendier le Corps du Christ crucifié 

Dans l’Eucharistie Jésus est présent non pas comme une chose mais comme une personne, comme un « moi » qui se donne à un « toi ».

Lorsque nous recevons la communion, nous tendons la main pour recevoir le Seigneur de la vie, nous sommes donc des mendiants qui tendent leurs mains pour demander la charité du pain de vie éternelle. Reconnaissons être des pauvres qui recevons tout. Encore plus, nous recevons le Tout qui n’est pas une chose mais quelqu’un qui se donne à nous. Recevoir le pain de vie est une communion de personnes, nous rencontrons le Christ et son coeur parle à notre coeur.
            Dans cette rencontre eucharistique le Rédempteur ne parle pas seulement, mais il agit : « C’est le Christ qui y agit, qui est sur l’autel ». C’est un don du Christ  qui se rend présent et nous rassemble autour de lui, pour nous nourrir de sa Parole et de sa vie. A travers l’Eucharistie, le Christ veut entrer dans notre existence et l’imprégner de sa grâce. Nous vivons donc l’Eucharistie avec un esprit de foi, de prière, de pardon, de pénitence, de joie partagée, de préoccupation pour les nécessiteux et pour les nécessités de beaucoup frères et soeurs, dans la certitude que le Seigneur accomplira ce qu’il nous a promis : la vie éternelle » (Pape François). La vie est la relation d’amour avec le Père qui la donne et avec les frères qui sont des fils comme toi, cela c’est déjà la vie éternelle, c’est la vie de Dieu, et c’est celle que Jésus veut nous communiquer.

            A travers l’Eucharistie, il se produit une relation de communion pleine entre nous et Jésus parce que nous pouvons expérimenter ce Dieu qui a tant aimé le monde au point tel de donner son propre fils pour que le monde vive. « Manger le pain vivant... manger le corps.... » : manger la chair, manger l’Amour, manger Dieu : tout est extrêmement concret et tout est d’une densité infinie. Manger l'Amour incarné de Dieu pour que Dieu continue à s'incarner et la chair de l’homme expérimente la vie de Dieu : l’amour de l’homme devienne l’Amour de Dieu er resplendisse sa gloire. Tout est Dieu et tout est si concrètement humain. Tout est merveilleux : tout requiert « seulement » le courage de croire à l’Amour infini de Dieu dans l'obscurité de la croix de Jésus.

L’Hostie est étroitement liée à la Croix. « Dans l’Eucharistie le Christ actualise toujours et à nouveau le don de Lui-même qu’il a fait sur la croix. Toute sa vie est un acte de total partage de lui par amour » (Pape François).

L'Eucharistie est par excellence le sacrement de la Passion et de la mort du Christ. Jésus l’ institua dans un excès d'Amour, la nuit où il fut trahi, quand, après avoir béni et frappé le pain et après avoir béni le vin, les distribua aux apôtres en disant : « Faites ceci en mémoire de moi ». La Sainte Messe renouvelle mystiquement  la Mort du Christ, en proclame le Résurrection dans l'attente de sa venue.

Toutefois, il faut tenir compte que le sacrifice du Christ est un sacrifice de communion et de louange.

Déjà dans l’Ancien Testament, parmi les différents types de sacrifices, il y avait celui qui était appelé « sacrifice de communion »  ou « offrande de paix »  parce qu’il voulait exprimer l’union entre Dieu et le donateur par une offrande de remerciement[1]. La victime était partagée entre Dieu, le prêtre et le donateur. La partie destinée à Dieu était brûlée sur l’autel. Le fidèle mangeait devant Yahvé, presque en sa compagnie. C’était le repas sacrificiel dans lequel s’établissait une communion spirituelle, une alliance entre Yahvé et le donateur. Ici, l’idée de « manger[2] à la table du Seigneur », avec Lui, comme ses invités est très claire.

Pendant la Messe, le remerciement est l’aspect le plus significatif et – d’une manière surprenante - on le trouve dès le début. Notons que Jésus, même avant de ressusciter Lazare, lève les yeux et dit : « Père, je te remercie de m’avoir écouté » (Jn 11,41). Il remercie, avant de faire le miracle, certain que le Père le fera.

En transformant sa propre mort en sacrifice de remerciement, Jésus nous fait comprendre que, pour lui, Sa passion est un don du Père, que c’est sa glorification (cf. Jn 12, 28-33 ; 13, 31-32).
            La mort elle-même est transformée en victoire ; Jésus vainc la mort avec la mort; sa mort devient un sacrifice de remerciement.

L’eucharistie du dimanche ou de chaque jour devraient avoir pour effet de transformer, par le Christ, toute la vie en un perpétuel sacrifice de remerciement et nous faire vivre chaque événement comme un don. Je dis bien « devrait » parce que souvent nous nous approchons avec distraction, par habitude, ou avec prétention, par vanité. L’Eucharistie est un don de Miséricorde que nous pouvons recevoir après avoir demandé pardon et après avoir dit : « Seigneur, je ne suis pas digne de participer à ta table : mais dis seulement une parole et je serai sauvé ».
            L'Eglise a choisi  comme dernier moment de préparation à la réception de l’eucharistie, de reprendre les paroles du centurion romain de Capharnaüm lorsqu’il demanda à Jésus de guérir son fidèle serviteur malheureusement paralysé et très souffrant : « Seigneur, je ne suis pas digne que tu entres sous mon toit mais dis seulement une parole et mon serviteur sera guéri » (Mt 8,8). L'attitude d’extrême humilité et de profonde confiance qui caractérisa la demande de cet officier païen qui demandait l’intervention salvifique du Christ chez lui - une vraie profession de foi - veut et doit être l’attitude de nous tous, prêtres et fidèles (ces paroles doivent être dites par le prêtre ensemble, avec les fidèles) quand nous sommes en train de recevoir le Seigneur dans notre coeur.

3) Les vierges consacrées et l’Eucharistie.

 Il est certain qu’aucun de nous n'est « digne » de Jésus, de sa présence et de son amour, mais nous savons, dans la foi, qu’il nous suffit même d’un seul son, signe, d’une parole, d’un seul regard et que Lui peut nous sauver.

 Attentives à cette parole et avec les yeux du cœur ouverts pour recevoir ce regard, les vierges consacrées sont des témoins significatives de cette humilité qui fait que le Christ prenne sa demeure dans le coeur humain et soit porté dans le monde.

Au sacrifice eucharistique du Christ, ces femmes unissent leur sacrifice comme don exclusif d’elles-mêmes au Christ, de cette façon elles manifestent d’une manière spéciale la dimension eucharistique de la vie quotidienne de chaque chrétien.

Le sacrifice est nécessaire à la vraie vie qui pour être telle, doit être vécue eucharistiquement. Tout le monde peut imaginer la force de cette tentation dans le panorama culturel actuel. Les sirènes de notre temps chantent la mélodie d'une vie sans sacrifice dans les liens d’affection, au travail.... Et de cette façon, en pratique elles condamnent les hommes à rester enfermés dans les épreuves de leur vie quotidienne, en leur donnant l'illusion que ces épreuves ne devraient pas exister.

 
            Comment comprendre et vivre cette « étrange nécessité du sacrifice » ? En faisant l’expérience du don de soi et de la gratuité.

Il existe un rapport entre le renoncement et la joie, entre le sacrifice et la dilatation du coeur. Le sacrifice accompli par amour chaste ouvre le coeur, atteste l’amour préférentiel pour le Seigneur et symbolise, de la façon la plus éminente et absolue, le mystère de l’union du corps mystique à son Corps, de l’épouse à son éternel époux. La virginité consacrée, enfin,  rejoint transforme et pénètre l'être humain dans son intime, par une mystérieuse ressemblance avec le Christ qui dans l’Eucharistie nous offre son Corps, Pain de vie.

Lecture Patristique

Saint Augustin d’Hippone

Sermon 131

ANALYSE. - Quelqu'avantageuse que fut la promesse de l'Eucharistie, plusieurs n'y crurent pas. C'est que la grâce est nécessaire pour croire, pour mener une sainte vie et pour persévérer dans le bien. Pourquoi revenir si souvent sur ce sujet? C'est que plusieurs aujourd'hui le méconnaissent parmi les Chrétien; eux-mêmes. Déjà les Juifs attribuaient à la grâce la rémission des péchés, la guérison des langueurs de l'âme, l'exemption de la corruption et le couronnement des mérites. Et aujourd'hui que le Sauveur à répandu la grâce par tout l'univers, on peut la méconnaître comme la méconnaissaient les Pharisiens? Mais la cause est jugée, car Rome a parlé.

1. Nous avons entendu le Maître de la vérité, le Rédempteur divin, le Sauveur des hommes recommander à nôtre amour le sang qui nous a rachetés. Car en nous parlant de son corps et de son sang, il a dit que l'un serait notre nourriture et l'autre notre breuvage. Les fidèles reconnaissent ici le Sacrement des fidèles. Mais qu'y voient les catéchumènes?
Afin donc d'exciter notre ardeur pour une telle nourriture et pour un breuvage si divin, le Sauveur disait: «Si vous ne mangez ma chair et si vous ne buvez mon sang, vous n'aurez pas en vous la vie,» et c'est la Vie même qui parlait ainsi de la vie, et pour celui qui accuserait la Vie de mentir, cette vie deviendrait la mort. Ce fut alors que se scandalisèrent, non pas tous les disciples, mais un grand nombre et ceux-ci (538) disaient en eux-mêmes: «Ce langage est dur, qui peut le supporter?» Mais le Seigneur vit tout en esprit, il entendit le bruit de leurs pensées, et pour leur apprendre qu'il avait entendu leurs murmures intérieurs et les déterminer à y mettre un terme, il répondit avant même qu'ils eussent parlé. Que leur dit-il? «Cela vous scandalise? Et si, vous voyez le Fils de l'homme remonter où il était d'abord?» Qu'est-ce à dire, Cela vous, scandalise? Croyez-vous que je vais couper mes membres en morceaux afin de vous les donner? Et «si vous voyez le Fils de l'homme remonter où il était d'abord?» Vous comprendrez sûrement, en le voyant remonter tout entier, qu'il n'était pas consumable.
C'est ainsi qu'il nous dorme avec son corps et avec son sang une alimentation salutaire et qu'il résout en quelques mots l'importante question de son incorruptibilité. Vous qui mangez, mangez donc réellement; buvez aussi, vous qui buvez; ayez faim, ayez soif; mangez la vie, buvez la vie. Manger ce corps, c'est se nourrir, mais se nourrir sans rien retrancher de ce qui nourrit. Qu'est-ce aussi que boire ce sang, sinon puiser la vie? Mange la vie, bois la vie: ainsi tu l'acquerras en la laissant tout entière. Mais pour y parvenir, pour trouver la vie dans le corps et le sang du Christ, chacun doit manger et boire véritablement et d'une manière toute spirituelle, ce qu'il reçoit dans le Sacrement d'une manière sensible. Effectivement, nous avons entendu dire au Seigneur: «C'est l'esprit qui vivifie et la chair ne sert de rien. Les paroles que je vous ai adressées sont esprit et vie: mais il en est parmi vous, poursuit-il, qui ne croient pas.» C'était ceux qui disaient: «Ce langage est dur; qui peut le supporter?» Oui, il est dur, mais pour les durs; il est incroyable, mais pour les incrédules.

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[1] Zebah selamin en hébreux, eucharisto en grec

[2] Cela s’accomplie dans le geste de Jésus qui mange avec le pécheur et, surtout, dans l’Eucharistie. Le sacrifce de louange (Toda = merci) décrit en Lv 7,11-17, revient souvent dans les Psaumes (cf. Ps 22;116, 107…). Le schéma est simple: une personne se trouver dans un danger, invoque le Seigneur, en promettant un sacrifice de remercîment, l’aide désirée arrive, la personne va au Temple pour offrir le sacrifice promis.