Father Braxton Necaise

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of ChristLectionary: 169

Reading 1 Gn 14:18-20

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine,and being a priest of God Most High,he blessed Abram with these words:"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,the creator of heaven and earth;and blessed be God Most High,who delivered your foes into your hand."Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4

R.(4b) You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right handtill I make your enemies your footstool."R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:"Rule in the midst of your enemies."R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek."Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you."R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:"You are a priest forever, according to the order of  Melchizedek."R. You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.

Reading 2 1 Cor 11:23-26

Brothers and sisters:I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks,broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you.Do this in remembrance of me."In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood.Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.Sequence Lauda Sion

Laud, O Zion, your salvation,Laud with hymns of exultation, Christ, your king and shepherd true:Bring him all the praise you know,He is more than you bestow. Never can you reach his due.Special theme for glad thanksgivingIs the quick'ning and the living Bread today before you set:From his hands of old partaken,As we know, by faith unshaken, Where the Twelve at supper met.Full and clear ring out your chanting,Joy nor sweetest grace be wanting, From your heart let praises burst:For today the feast is holden,When the institution olden Of that supper was rehearsed.Here the new law's new oblation,By the new king's revelation, Ends the form of ancient rite:Now the new the old effaces,Truth away the shadow chases, Light dispels the gloom of night.What he did at supper seated,Christ ordained to be repeated, His memorial ne'er to cease:And his rule for guidance taking,Bread and wine we hallow, making Thus our sacrifice of peace.This the truth each Christian learns,Bread into his flesh he turns, To his precious blood the wine:Sight has fail'd, nor thought conceives,But a dauntless faith believes, Resting on a pow'r divine.Here beneath these signs are hiddenPriceless things to sense forbidden; Signs, not things are all we see:Blood is poured and flesh is broken,Yet in either wondrous token Christ entire we know to be.Whoso of this food partakes,Does not rend the Lord nor breaks; Christ is whole to all that taste:Thousands are, as one, receivers,One, as thousands of believers, Eats of him who cannot waste.Bad and good the feast are sharing,Of what divers dooms preparing, Endless death, or endless life.Life to these, to those damnation,See how like participation Is with unlike issues rife.When the sacrament is broken,Doubt not, but believe 'tis spoken, That each sever'd outward token doth the very whole contain.Nought the precious gift divides,Breaking but the sign betides Jesus still the same abides, still unbroken does remain.The shorter form of the sequence begins here.Lo! the angel's food is givenTo the pilgrim who has striven; see the children's bread from heaven, which on dogs may not be spent.Truth the ancient types fulfilling,Isaac bound, a victim willing, Paschal lamb, its lifeblood spilling, manna to