necessary dispositions in celebrating mass: corpus Christi B

The first part of the gospel speaks of the preparations that were made for the Passover celebration of Jesus.  It was to be his last Passover.  We all know that it is in this Passover meal that Jesus instituted the Eucharist, what we call today as the Holy Mass, the same mass which we celebrate every day and in a special way every Sunday.  Our gospel today narrates where it all begun – when Jesus took bread saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the chalice, gave thanks, and gave it to them,saying "This is my blood of the covenant,which will be shed for many.”

In our gospel today Jesus teaches us two necessary disposition which we should bring with us every time we celebrate the mass.

First disposition: God is in control.

If you notice in the gospel it would seem that the initiative to prepare for the celebration came from the disciples.  Namangkot sila sa iya "Where do you want us to goand prepare for you to eat the Passover?" May kataka sa sini nga pamangkot. It would seem that the disciple who asked this question natak-an na sang hulat kay daw wala sa bungog ni Jesus nga may fiesta nga matabo, kag kadamo sang hilimuon nga preparasyon, tapos daw sa waay lang sa iya.  Tam-an sia ka relax.  

But they were in a for a surprise.  Jesus told them, duha kamo una kamo to, pagsulod nyo may makita kamo nga lalaki nga nagadala sing tadyaw sang tubig – sunda ninyo sia.  If you noticed Jesus did not say which gate to enter which street to pass, and do you know that it is unusual for a man to carry a jar of water because it was usually a woman’s work in those times. Jesus is actually very prepared, he is in control.  No address was given.  No problem, for your every step will be guided by God.  What if we enter a gate and everyone was carrying a jar.  Do not worry, for uniquely you will see a man carrying a jar.  

Sometimes we go to church with the disposition of that disciple – nga daw may kataka man sa aton pangamuyo, nga kon kaisa makasiling ka, ano ni man bal-an ni ayhan ni Lord kon ano ang nagakatabo sa akon panimalay, kon ano ang nagakatabo sa akon subong, – ngaa daw sa waay lang sa iya, ngaa daw sa waay lang sia labot, does the Lord feel what I feel?

Today the Lord surprises us.  God is in control, God is guiding, directing, leading, ruling every step of our life.  It is important to trust, to learn to surrender, and to allow God to guide us 

Second disposition:  We stand before him in our neediness.

In celebrating what should be the first mass, Jesus borrowed a room.  Nanghulam sia kwarto so that he can be alone with his disciples.  The first Eucharist was held not in a cathedral, not in the splendor of a baroque church with ornate decorations, but in a borrowed room. Again this is the second disposition that we should have with us in the mass.  The messiah was born in a stable because there was no room for him and then on his last Passover he had to borrow a room.  

The poverty of Jesus reminds us of our neediness.  In revealing to us his poverty he reminded us of our own.  That in this world we are not owners.  That we live borrowed lives, in borrowed time.  

And so it follows that we come to church not because we are perfect and complete and worthy.  No.  We come to church conscious of our needs – our need for mercy, our need for help, our need for direction, our need to be nourished and strengthened, our need for love.

Today the Lord again surprises us.  In a borrowed room, in his poverty he left us what would become the greatest treasure of the church – his real presence in our lives, his real presence in the eucharist.

As we celebrate the feast of the body of Christ may we come to mass with these dispositions – we come to the Lord knowing that he is in control, and we come to the Lord conscious of our need, conscious of our own poverty.