By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi Sunday was celebrated worldwide on 14 June. ‘Corpus Christi’ is Latin for ‘Body of Christ’ and is celebrated as a memorial of Christ’s sacrificial love and real presence in the Eucharist.
Under the current (RMCO) circumstances, Christians attended Masses online. At the live telecast from St Joseph’s Cathedral, Kuching, it was rather poignant to listen to the presider, Archbishop Simon Poh assuring the faithful that they could still receive the Lord’s blessings by their belief of the real presence of Jesus when they make a Spiritual Communion. ‘Focus on the consecrated host in the monstrance and tell Jesus your needs,’ he said.
In his homily, Archbishop Simon spoke of the power of healing through the Blessed Sacrament. He expressed his understanding of the Christian community’s acute awareness of being deprived of physically going to Church to receive Holy Communion for the past three months. He promised that on their behalf, he would plead before the Lord for them.
The Mass concluded with a short Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Then Archbishop Simon Poh carried the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance in a procession to the carpark to ask Jesus to bless the city and our families, a far cry from the huge street processions in the past.
Testimonies received after the live-streaming Corpus Christi Mass
Once again Archbishop delivered a powerful sermon that touched not only my heart but my soul. The most moving Corpus Christi sermon I have ever heard. I pray that many, like me, can be as inspirational as he is.
I shed tears during the procession. My tears fell like rain.
My tears started falling when I saw Archbishop carrying the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance at the start of the procession.
