06/08/2026
Below is the text from Father Fleming's Homily for this weekend's masses - Feast of Corpus Christi.
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Friends, today the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi, which simply means the “Body of Christ”. This day draws our attention to the most precious gift of our Catholic faith, namely, that at the consecration of the bread and wine at the Mass, Jesus becomes truly present.
Not long ago, I had a conversation with a man who had been an Anglican minster and converted to the Catholic faith. Later he even became a Catholic priest. I asked him to tell me about the key things that led him to the Catholic Church. He said, “It is very simple: the Real Presence.” At the invitation of a friend, he visited a Catholic church, and he was touched so deeply by the presence of the Jesus in the Eucharist that he could not deny this was true. He said, “once I realized the Real Presence, the only choice that remained was to come into full communion with the Catholic Church.”
This moved me to reflect upon my own belief in the Real Presence. Looking back to my teenage years, I remember my father speaking about his belief in the Real Presence. I grew up in the 1980s and 90s when it seemed like people everywhere were doubting the Catholic faith and wanting to change certain teachings. Many clergy left the priesthood and there was much confusion. My father always held on to the true Catholic faith, especially the Real Presence, and he would speak to me about it. I did not fully appreciate this at the time, however, later, I was very grateful for his witness. I remember after he died, looking back and thinking, “My goodness, he was right all along.”
At some point every person must examine the faith they received as a child and decide whether to make it their own. When I left home for graduate studies in Chemistry, I started to seriously ponder “What do I really believe? Do I really believe the Catholic faith?” I was open to seeking the truth wherever that would lead, whether to the Catholic faith or somewhere else. After some serious reflection, I came to the conviction that the Catholic faith is indeed true. A deep experience of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist helped confirm this. I was attending a weekday Mass on my lunch break that was celebrated in a small classroom. It was rudimentary; a dozen or so people, a simple chalice and paten, some bread, wine, and water. No incense, no music, no kneelers etc.. However, during the consecration I was unexpectedly struck with a conviction: this is really Jesus. I already believed it was true, but here it was like a ray of light in my mind dispelled every shadow of doubt and I felt like I knew it at a much deeper level. It was no longer just an idea but it was as real as a person in front of me. There was no room left for argument. I could only believe that what Jesus said in the Gospel today to the crowds at Capernaum is true: “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world (Jn 6: 51)”. He meant exactly what He said.
I was hesitant to speak about this today since this experience was something deeply personal. However, it came to my mind this weekend not simply to teach about the Real Presence, but to share how I came to believe it is true. Catholics have believed it since the time of the Last Supper. Some simply believe it from their youth without hesitation. Others come to believe much later in life. For some it is a knowledge that grows quietly over years. For others it is a dramatic moment of conviction. The key is not so much how we arrive at this truth, but that we allow God to guide us there in the way He knows is best.
I say this to you for a few reasons. First, to encourage your own belief. Second, for parents and grandparents: do not hesitate to share your Catholic faith with your children and grandchildren and try to explain why you believe it. Your words might not convince them, but they provide a foundation and open the door for the light of faith to enter. Much of our faith is meant to be handed on, not in a classroom or from a pulpit, but through one Christian sharing with another, especially within the family. Parents, please bring you children to Mass every Sunday. There is no treasure on earth greater than Jesus in the Eucharist. Everything else in life will fade away, but faith in Jesus will last for eternity. Finally, to children, especially you who are receiving Holy Communion for the first time today. This is the greatest treasure in the whole world. This is Jesus Himself. I hope that you choose to come to Mass for the rest of your lives and become more and more aware of what a great gift this is.
