He Goes Before Us

In preparation for the outdoor Corpus Christi procession Sunday evening at the Shrine, some of the Sisters de-petaled the roses to be strewn by flower girls before the Blessed Sacrament. St. Therese had a very apt idea of what 'strewing flowers' meant. For her, that image was one of sacrifice - giving God all the little 'good' that we have (or rather returning what He has given us).  To borrow a phrase from Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, the result is truly 'something beautiful for God.'
The same Jesus is always present ‘here and in all the Churches throughout the world’, exposed in the monstrance, reigning over our world and at the same time present to our problems, the everyday struggles, hopes and fears. And yet on Corpus Christi he ‘comes down’ and literally goes before His people in procession.  Here the faithful can do with their feet what we strive to do in the Christian life – answer the Lord’s invitation to “Follow Me.” As He is carried in procession we can come like Jairus, or the Syrophoenician woman, pleading for the healing of our loved ones or our own hurts. Here He ‘passes by’ calling the Zaccheaus’, the Levis, the Peter and Andrews of today to come to Him.  Like Saul who encountered the same Risen Lord on the road, we can respond in turn, “Lord, what would you have me do?” Corpus Christi is this and so much more. It is a chance for us to make a return of thanksgiving and adoration to the God who has loved us so much as to give us His only Son as our food and our salvation.