Fr. Bob’s Homily – Corpus Christi Sunday

Have you ever felt invisible? Like no one really sees you? Most of us have. Imagine being at a party, trying to strike up a conversation, only to have someone politely excuse themselves. They say, “Oh, I see a friend of mine,” as they walk away. So, you retreat to the punch bowl, debating which kind of cheese to put on your cracker.

Or maybe you’ve poured your heart out to someone, only to realize they weren’t listening. They yawn, distracted, and you feel small. And when life hasn’t turned out the way you hoped – your career has stalled, your goals have gone unmet. It’s easy to feel like a nobody.

You’re not alone. Many people know this feeling.

Some feel like nobodies all the time. Think of elderly people in nursing homes, forgotten and unseen, with no one visiting. No one wants to feel like they don’t matter. And when that feeling persists, people can get desperate. They’ll do anything to be noticed, to feel valued.

Then there are the “anybodies” – people who are seen only for what they do. Cooks, cab drivers, barbers, secretaries, even priests. They are people who are appreciated when they’re needed, but they are often overlooked and easily replaced.

And finally, there are the “somebodies.” The ones who stand out. We admire them, love them, look up to them. They seem irreplaceable.

But here’s the truth: even if you feel like a nobody or just an anybody, to someone who loves you, you are a somebody. To them, you matter deeply.

And to God, you are not just a somebody. You are everything.

Today we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. What does this mean for us?

First, we must free ourselves from the idea that receiving the Eucharist is a private moment. It is not just “me and Jesus.” As St. Paul reminds us, we all share in the one bread. The Eucharist is genuinely communal.

And the Christ we receive in the Eucharist is not divided. He doesn’t give more to the somebodies, or less to the nobodies. The same Jesus feeds the overlooked and the admired alike – fully, generously, lovingly.

Did you notice in the Gospel story that the disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the crowd? But He told them, “Give them some food yourselves.” He challenged them to be the ones to feed, to serve, to care.

We come to the Eucharist to be fed, but also to be sent. We come to be comforted and renewed, but also to be challenged to feed others.

So, as you walk forward to receive Communion, take a moment to reflect. You are receiving the same Jesus born in Bethlehem, crucified in Jerusalem, and risen from the dead. This is no ordinary bread – it is the very life of Christ.

Only a God of infinite love could offer such a gift – not just to the worthy, or the admired, but to all. To you.

No matter how you see yourself, in Christ you are seen. You are known. You are loved. We are all one in Him.