“That We May Be Made Partakers of His Divine Nature”
On 1 Corinthians 11:23–29 and John 6:56–59 in the Light of the Church Fathers
As the Church celebrates the radiant solemnity of Festum Sanctissimi Corporis Christi—the Feast of the Most Holy Body of Christ—we are drawn more deeply into the sublime mystery of the Holy Eucharist. The readings traditionally meditated upon in this context, 1 Corinthians 11:23–29 and John 6:56–59, unveil with apostolic clarity and divine authority the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church, and of the soul. These passages are not merely doctrinal affirmations but sacred invitations to adore, to receive worthily, and to be transformed by Christ, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
Let us reflect on these Scriptures in union with the voice of the Church Fathers, whose writings resound with Eucharistic reverence, and who understood, as we must, that the Body of Christ is not a symbol, but a reality—given, received, and adored.
1 Corinthians 11:23–29 – “Let a man prove himself…”
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you: That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread…” (v.23)
St. Paul here confirms that the Eucharistic mystery is of divine origin, “received of the Lord,” not invented by man nor reducible to mere ritual. It is the continuation of the Last Supper, perpetuated in every valid Mass: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” The Greek word for “remembrance,” anamnesis, does not mean mere mental recollection but a sacred making-present. The very sacrifice of Calvary is mystically renewed on our altars.
St. John Chrysostom marvels at this passage, noting:
“He [Christ] did not say, ‘This is the symbol of My Body,’ but, ‘This is My Body.’ Therefore, in the same way that the word, ‘Let there be light,’ was not a command but a creation, so also ‘This is My Body’ transforms what is spoken over.”
(Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, 24.1)
Paul also warns against profaning this sacred gift:
“Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (v.27)
This solemn admonition is the strongest Scriptural witness to the Real Presence. If the Eucharist were only symbolic, how could one be guilty of the very Body and Blood of the Lord? St. Augustine echoes this gravity:
“He who eats with faith, eats spiritually the Flesh of Christ… but he who eats unworthily, eats judgment unto himself.”
(Tractates on John, 26.13)
St. Paul’s exhortation that one “examine himself” before receiving is an early witness to what the Church has always required: worthy reception. This includes being in a state of grace, having fasted, and approaching with holy fear and reverence. It is not a casual act, but a communion with the Divine Victim.
John 6:56–59 – “He that eateth My Flesh…”
“He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.” (v.56)
These words are startling and sublime. Christ speaks not in metaphor but in mystical realism. The Greek word used—trōgōn (τρώγων), meaning to gnaw or chew—makes clear the realism intended. This is not a vague spiritual participation but a true feeding upon Christ’s glorified humanity, and thus upon His divinity.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem affirms this literal sense with reverence:
“Since He Himself has declared and said of the Bread, ‘This is My Body,’ who shall dare to doubt any longer? And since He has affirmed and said, ‘This is My Blood,’ who shall ever hesitate, saying that it is not His Blood?”
(Catechetical Lectures, 22.1)
Our Lord goes further:
“As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, the same also shall live by Me.” (v.57)
In receiving the Holy Eucharist, we are not only given divine life; we are inserted into the very life of the Trinity. This is not hyperbole. This is theosis—the divinization of man by grace. As St. Irenaeus wrote:
“Our bodies, nourished by the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, because they have the hope of the resurrection.”
(Against Heresies, 4.18.5)
Thus, the Blessed Sacrament is not only Christ’s abiding presence among us; it is the very seed of immortality.
Corpus Christi: The Feast of Faith and Adoration
The institution of Corpus Christi in the 13th century, confirmed by Pope Urban IV and inspired by the Eucharistic visions of St. Juliana of Liège, came at a time when the mystery of the Eucharist was under assault. It remains today a bulwark against forgetfulness, irreverence, and unbelief.
The procession with the Blessed Sacrament on this day is more than a pious custom. It is the Church’s proclamation to the world that her Lord is present in her midst—not merely spiritually, but substantially, really, and truly under the appearances of bread and wine. As St. Thomas Aquinas declares in the Lauda Sion:
“Sight, touch, and taste in Thee are each deceived; / The ear alone most safely is believed: / I believe all the Son of God has spoken; / Than truth’s own word there is no truer token.”
Conclusion: Come, Let Us Adore
On this most exalted feast, let us renew our Eucharistic faith. Let us examine our hearts, as St. Paul instructs, and approach the altar with contrition and awe. Let us believe with the ancient Fathers, love with the saints, and adore with the angels. For in this Sacrament, we are drawn into union with the God-Man, Who gives us His Body to eat and His Blood to drink, that we may live by Him.
O Sacrum Convivium, in quo Christus sumitur! Recolitur memoria passionis eius: mens impletur gratia, et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
O Sacred Banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar—now and forever. Amen.