Raise your hand if you knew today is the feast day of the Institution of Holy Communion or Corpus Christi day. Mmm, not many of you. Well, I didn’t know either. But it is. Corpus Christi day lands on the Thursday after the feast of the Holy Trinity, which was Sunday. Most Lutherans or Americans do not pay much attention to it, but in other places (with stronger Roman Catholic influence) it is celebrated. It is a pretty old feast day. It was started in the 13th century following a series of visions by an Augustinian nun, Juliana of Liege (1139-1252).

It celebrates the mystery of the sacrament of Holy Communion, which Jesus instituted “on the night in which he was betrayed”. It’s celebrated on Thursday to correspond with the Thursday night before Jesus’ death on the cross, the night of his arrest, the beginning of his passion. Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Good Friday also remembers this night but instead of focusing on the institution of Holy Communion it focuses on the new command (maundy) of Jesus, that we, his disciples, love one another as he has loved us. Corpus Christi directs our attention and gratitude specifically to the mystery of Christ’s coming to us now in the bread and wine of Holy Communion, gluing us together in community and nourishing our faith. In other words, he gives us his very body and blood for our faith food.

Thanks be to God for this sacrament whose power and mystery we ca never comprehend or give thanks enough for. Below are the scriptures appointed for today, and the world wise church’s prayer for today:

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

John 6:56-59   [Jesus said]  Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.  Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”  He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

1 Corinthians 11:23-29  [Paul writes] For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread,  and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way he took the cup also, 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 Lord’s death until he comes.  Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.  Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.

(originally posted by my mentor and friend Jami Fecher)