South Carolina priest says feast of Corpus Christi is a reminder that God wants 'to be with us'

"Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them (John 6:53-56)." 

These verses, known as the "Bread of Life Discourse," come from the Gospel of John, one of the four gospel narratives in the New Testament, Fr. Jeffrey Kirby told Fox News Digital.

Kirby is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Indian Land, South Carolina, and is the host of the daily devotional podcast "Morning Offering with Father Kirby." 

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While the exact authorship of this gospel is unknown, John's Gospel is most commonly attributed to the Apostle John, says the website Catholic Answers. 

This weekend, many Christians are observing the Feast of Corpus Christi, Kirby told Fox News Digital.

In Latin, Corpus Christi translates to "Body of Christ." The feast day itself was established in the mid-13th century, said Kirby, after a Eucharistic miracle saw a host begin bleeding during Mass. 

The Feast of Corpus Christi is a solemnity celebrating the body and blood of Christ, said a South Carolina-based priest. Here, the Eucharist is carried in a special container called a monstrance.   (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)

Some Christian denominations believe in "transubstantiation," or the belief that Jesus is physically present in the Eucharist — and pointed to this and other similar Eucharistic miracles as proof.

"St. Thomas Aquinas, a renowned and highly respected theologian and philosopher of the time, was moved by the miracle and encouraged the pope to create a feast day in which the Lord’s Presence could be celebrated," said Kirby. 

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In modern times, "the feast day includes both a special Mass and a solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament around parish campuses, towns, and cities," he said. 

Additionally, this year the United States is hosting the National Eucharistic Congress – the first in 83 years, said Kirby. 

This year the United States is hosting the National Eucharistic Congress – the first in 83 years.

"The Eucharistic Congress is a part of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival called for by the U.S. bishops," he said. 

The bishops hope that the revival will bring about "a strong, more robust, belief in the Lord’s Presence in the Eucharist" that "will spread in the hearts of believers and shared with those who have no faith or are wrestling to find a faith in God," said Kirby.

Eucharistic processions, such as the one pictured above, are part of the celebration of Corpus Christi, said a South Carolina-based priest. (Jorge Castellanos/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

"For Catholics and other Christians, the Lord’s Presence in the Eucharist is the highest gift given by the eternal Son of God to the human family. It is His presence with us," said Kirby. 

The Feast of Corpus Christi, said Kirby, draws back to the upper room where Jesus celebrated Passover with His followers shortly before His crucifixion. 

"As the culmination of His three years with them, Jesus tells His followers that He eagerly anticipated eating the Passover with them," said Kirby. 

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The priest continued, "The anticipation is understandable since in its celebration, the Lord fulfilled the ancient ritual and began His own sacrifice. And by His sacrifice, the Lord Jesus offers a new and eternal covenant of reconciliation and love."

The new covenant "is sustained by sacred memory, and made perceptible by a holy meal," said Kirby.

The Feast of Corpus Christi "is the annual reminder of God’s accompaniment with us," said Fr. Jeffrey Kirby of Indian Land, South Carolina.  (Fr. Jeffrey Kirby/Getty Images)

This meal, known as the "Eucharist" — which translates to "the great thanksgiving" — is "the edible truth of God’s presence among us."

He added, "The Lord allows His divine presence to remain with the human family under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist" — noting that the Eucharist "is a tangible reminder to us of God’s accompaniment through the journey of life." 

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Without the Eucharist, "There would be no tangible access to the living God or any palpable means of responding to His invitation to be with Him without his Eucharistic Presence," he said.

"The Lord desires to be with us."

"Corpus Christi, therefore, is the annual reminder of God’s accompaniment with us," said Kirby. 

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The celebration is a reminder to every generation of believers "that Jesus Christ is our friend and companion."

Said Kirby, "The Lord desires to be with us, walk with us through the joys and sufferings of life, and guide us into the eternal life of heaven." 

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