Psalm Reflection: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi - Cycle B

“I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.” - Psalms 116

120 hours.

That is the longest I have ever gone without food. And the interesting thing about it is that I could have gone longer. 

Do not get me wrong, the first two days were miserable. That was because I was eating so many things that made my body dependent on getting a quick fix of sugar or energy, so my body could not last long with a pick-me-up before I started feeling groggy, tired, and irritable. 

When my body decided to start burning the calories I had stored in my body instead of waiting for the next fix, I started to feel energized and healthy again. I was not hungry anymore. I made sure I was staying hydrated and taking the vitamins and minerals I needed on a daily basis, but I did not need to satisfy my urges for instant gratification anymore. They simply went away.

Many people either gain weight or struggle to lose weight because we do not eat food that sustains us or gives our body lasting energy. Instead, we look for what will give us a quick boost of energy when we feel tired, which then leads to a crash in energy, and the cycle repeats itself. 

Most people have a chemical dependency on artificial sugars and sweeteners. Multiple studies have shown this leads to an addictive cycle in the brain that is identical to, or sometimes worse than, the brain of a person addicted to cocaine (source).

In the same way that we can become unknowingly addicted to these short fixes with things like food, we also do this spiritually. We go through life like it is a casino, looking for the next hope of a payout or a jackpot. We place our hope in something or someone to make us happy, and instead of cutting our losses when it does seem to be working out, we become attached and we keep pouring money into the machine of our own dreams, goals, plans, and aspirations instead of looking for a more constructive way to spend our time, energy and money.

How are you treating life like a spiritual casino?

What do you need to cut your losses from that is not satisfying you?

Where do you need to let go of your attachment or addiction to sin to led the Lord nourish, heal, and restore you?

The Psalmist brings our physical and spiritual hunger together by reminding us that our true satisfaction and fulfillment is in the Lord, and Him alone, who reveals Himself in the cup of salvation. At the time this Psalm was written, the Psalmist was using figurative language to talk about receiving blessings of abundance and consolation from God. However, it also foreshadowed the gift of the Eucharist, where both the physical sustenance of food and the spiritual sustenance of Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity all dwell for us to receive. 

Sins are like artificial sugars, they are terrible for us and they are distorted versions of the real thing. The Eucharist is what satisfies our hunger and longing for nourishment. To receive the bread of life and the cup of salvation is to receive the Lord. In eating His flesh and drinking His blood as He commanded us to do (John 6:48-58), we are inviting His life and presence into our own bodies and souls. We call upon His name to truly satisfy our spiritual hunger every time we approach the altar to receive Him.

Casinos do not have clocks so you lose a sense of time and keep spending money. Sin also robs us of time in eternity with God, and also of me in this life to turn to what is better for us. Time is a precious gift and we cannot afford to waste it pursuing things that will not ultimately satisfy us. We need to be willing to let go, surrender, and trust that we worship a loving God who can and will fulfill every desire of our hearts.

Take a moment to make note of the exact time and day you are reading this.

Let this be the moment you make a change.  Today.

Not one day in the future, but let today be day one of saying no to the easy way,

the quick fix, 

the comfortable choice,

the instant gratification, 

and the cheap alternative.

Say yes to the real thing, and the fog will slowly lift from your eyes to reveal a new way of life in the Lord, nourished by Him in the Holy Eucharist.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt 

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, June 2nd, 2024, which is The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi - Cycle B: Psalms 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18.