Corpus Christi

The keeper told us that this had to be the wildest Corpus Christi ever. ( We thought it was great because we had poached chicken for breakfast and dinner and didn't .) But she was speaking about more significant things than our food.

She said the liturgy at the cathedral was stirring and that Fr. R told the story of Mordecai who did not want to go to school until his parents took him to the wise old rabbi who did not scold or push, but who held him close to his heart. And how the Eucharist for us is a way for God to pull us close into the life of the Divine Heart and its fiery love. And how this love can push us through our reluctance to embrace the complexities of this world in the spirit of divine love. So after Eucharist with bagpipes, choirs, flowers, banners, they took to the streets with the Sacrament. And what a dramatic engagement it was! She said as they turned the corner, they met the GLBT community and their gentle signs and greetings, followed up on the next corner by the notorious hate group with their ugly chilling demonstrations of hate for most everybody. In some ways the two groups were chanting to each other as the Church processed chanting and singing. Yes, that is the world we engage--the excluded extending hospitality and asking for acceptance and the excluders exuding hate and intolerance. And so the Body of Christ in all of its lively and lovely diversity carrying the BODY passed through the valley of this world with all the love they could muster. A very profound experience, she said. An experience of the broken body crying from the streets for healing. Oh my, we need Euchaarist to embrace all this, she said.

Then she dropped into her old church for the picnic and visited and was impressed by the size of the crowd and the talent show in which the new pastor played and sang La Bamba-GUITAR HERO! Corpus Christi, a little pooped after the procession through the neighborhood, speaking in Spanish, English, Tagalog, baby gurgle, wearing the faces of teenager, elder, surrounded by fragrant smoke of grilled meats and Mexican music. Not bad, she said. Of course, then Corpus Christi became academic with SU's graduate school graduation. Again, a rich diversity of graduates, areas of study, so many hopes for changing the world, so much pride in accomplishment. The body is indeed gifted and equipped to turn the world right side up if we believe it. We need eucharist, she said.