“Donut” doubt the resurrection! A meditation on Corpus Christi Sunday

If you only had one week to live, what would you do?

And how would you want to be remembered?

***

These are questions that Jesus himself had to wrestle with. He knew his death was coming. But instead of fleeing in fear or changing course, he embraced it head on, making the appropriate preparations.

He spent the final week of his life specifically teaching his disciples to remember him as one who had the power to perform miracles.

On his way to Jerusalem, for example, Jesus hears about the death of his friend, Lazarus, and so travels to the cave where he’s buried.

But instead of going inside, praying over him, or touching him in any way, Jesus simply stands at the entrance of the tomb, commanding him, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43).

Suddenly, the darkness breaks…

A figure wrapped in white bandages wiggles his way to the entrance of the tomb. It’s Lazarus… And he’s alive!

Jesus intentionally performs this miracle a week before his death to remind his disciples that he has the power to do what he says. 

When he speaks… it happens.

***

Today we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the truth that Jesus offers his Body and Blood to us under the appearance of bread and wine.

As the Gospel tells us, he took bread and wine and said to them, “This is my body… this is my blood.” (Mark 14:22-24). They ate it and drank it.

Though the disciples must have thought this was strange at the time, they took Jesus at his word. Remember Lazarus. Jesus spoke… it happened.

Still, how many of us are wondering, is it really Jesus?

***

Consider it this way. Most, if not all of us, have been to Dunkin’ Donuts. You know the smell. The air is almost damp, soaked in the smell of fresh coffee brewing and bacon searing on the griddle.

And then there’s the donuts.

We’ve all been tempted to order a dozen Boston Creme’s and scarf them down like nobody’s watching.

But if we do, there will be consequences. Those donuts don’t simply disappear; something of them remains in us. The scale tells us so!

In a similar way, there are consequences to consuming the Eucharist. Something of Jesus remains in us, much like a Boston Creme donut.

The only difference is, we don’t gain weight from consuming his Body and Blood… we gain eternal life. As Jesus tells us clearly, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” (John 6:54).

And so for 100,000 Sundays, that last miracle of Jesus has been repeated through the hands of a priest.

***

So if you had only one week to live, what would you do?

I’d simply ask for the Eucharist.

***

“Donut” doubt the resurrection, my friends. “Donut” doubt.

It happened to Jesus… and it will happen to us. The Eucharist is the source of that promise. Thanks be to God!