Read or listen to this Sunday’s Mass readings here.

• Exodus 24:3-8
• Hebrews 9:11-15
• Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

“They’re here!” screamed Lucy, who was standing guard at the window.  “And it is huge!”

Scampering feet were heard throughout the house, all heading for the front door.  Grandma and Grandpa Pauline had just pulled into the driveway with the huge Winnebago they were renting for the summer.  Grandpa was finally taking Grandma on her fantasy trip of an extended tour across the United States.  Their first stop was right here at their son’s house—and just in time for Sunday Mass.

“Grandma!” they screamed.  “Grandpa!”  In just a blink, Grandma and Grandpa were sharing hugs all around. 

“We were hoping you wouldn’t be late!” Vincent said.  “Maybe there is time for you to give us a spin around the block before church!”

“Well, Vincent, maybe after Mass,”  Mr. Pauline said.  “We still have to do our Sabbath Scripture reading for today.  It is a very important feast day, you know!”

Grandma and Grandpa came in and joined the rest of the family with the reading of the Gospel they would soon be hearing.  Mr. Pauline read from Mark, Chapter 14. 

As he closed the Bible, he said.  “Today is the feast of Corpus Christi, or the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  Now, who can tell me why the Church decided to establish this feast day in honor of the Blessed Sacrament?”

It looked like Vincent was going to speak up, but then changed his mind.  Mary Clare looked like she was reasoning an answer, but could not bring herself to say it out loud. 

Finally, Lucy spoke up, “Because it’s important!” she offered.

“It is important!” Grandma stated.  “When I was a little girl, this feast day was one of the most special days of the entire summer!”

“How’s that?” the kids asked.  She had their attention now.

“Well, way back then, I got to take part in a ‘Corpus Christi’ procession.  It was glorious!  I got all dressed up in a white dress and got to carry this huge bouquet of flowers.  In the front of the procession was the priest carrying the Blessed Sacrament in this golden frame called a monstrance.  Everyone followed behind, singing beautiful songs.  I don’t think I will ever forget the power and majesty of those processions as long as I live!”

“And even today,” Mr. Pauline added, “all the Masses have this majestic and reverent tone to them for the feast of Corpus Christi.  You will see what I mean when we get to church here pretty quickly.”

“Dad,” Vincent said, “you didn’t answer why we need this special feast day.  Everyone knows it is the true Body and Blood of Jesus at every Mass!”

“Well, Vincent, they should,” Dad explained.  “But it wasn’t always that way.  For many years at the end of the 12th century, a heresy developed in France that the Blessed Sacrament was not a mystery, and it did not actually change into the Body and Blood of Jesus.”

Grandma continued, “And that was the time that our Lord appeared to Blessed Juliana and told her that a feast day needed to be established to honor the Blessed Sacrament and to make reparations for all the outrages committed against it.  After hearing from God over and over for 20 years, she finally had the courage to tell her bishop about it.  He strongly agreed with her, and guess what happened next?”

“Tell us, tell us!” they all begged.

“Well, let’s say by ‘divine arrangement,’ that very same bishop was elected Pope!  And as Pope Urban the Fourth, he established the feast of Corpus Christi all over the world!  Isn’t that fascinating?”

“I know God had a hand in that one!” Lucy declared.

“Well, Kids, it is time for Mass.”  Dad said.  “Mom is going to drive the white car, because she has to stay after to work in the video library.  I will take the blue van, and all you kids can ride with Grandma and Grandpa in the Winnebago to church.  We will have our own ‘procession’ of sorts!”

“Aptly entitled,” Grandpa chuckled, sounding like a T.V. announcer, “the Prayer and Praise Procession of the Paulines to … to … to … Purch!”

“Purch!” they all laughed.

“Well,” Grandpa blushed, “it had to fit!”

As a family on this very special day, pray the divine praises in honor of the feast of Corpus Christi.

The Divine Praises

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His holy name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His saints.

Would you prefer a print a copy of this story?

Our mission is to help parents respond to the Church’s call to be “the first and foremost educators of their children” and to help families grow in the transforming love of God by understanding and living our beautiful Catholic Faith!

Are you looking for more ways to help your family reclaim Sundays and grow closer to Jesus together?

• Help Father dress for Mass with our Priest Paper Doll.
• Learn about the Liturgical Year in a big-picture way with our Liturgical Calendar
• Follow Family Formation’s blog, connect with us on Facebook, and on Instagram.
• Meet the Pauline family.