Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, has reflected on the significance of the Eucharist following Pope Leo XIV’s celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) at Saint John Lateran in Rome on June 22, 2025. The event included a traditional Eucharistic procession and blessing.

In his homily, Pope Leo XIV cited Saint Augustine of Hippo: “Christ is truly ‘panis qui reficit, et non deficit; panis qui sumi potest, consumi non potest’ (Serm. 130, 2): He is bread that restores and does not run short; bread that can be eaten but not exhausted. The Eucharist, in fact, is the true, real, and substantial presence of the Savior (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1413), who transforms bread into Himself in order to transform us into Himself.”

Cardinal Tobin highlighted Augustine’s message that while no one deserves to receive Christ in the Eucharist by their own merit, it remains an unearned gift granted through God’s grace. He wrote: “Nothing we can do by our own initiative makes us worthy that the Lord should enter our hearts. All we can do is try to be ready, try to ‘stay awake’ and be attentive, and try to be truly grateful when our Lord gives himself to us in this great mystery of our faith.”

He continued by emphasizing Augustine’s call for ongoing personal conversion as a lifelong process: “Saint Augustine admonishes us to change our lives...and to see our lives as a progressive journey of hope in which we seek the face of the Lord continually.” According to Cardinal Tobin, believers are encouraged to strive for worthiness through gratitude and self-examination.

Discussing reconciliation and forgiveness within Catholic teaching, Cardinal Tobin said: “This continual striving for perfection is at the heart of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). Just as Christ gives himself to us freely in the Eucharistic mystery, so He makes His love and forgiveness available to us just for the asking, with no strings attached.”

The message also included excerpts from Saint Augustine’s Sermon 272 on understanding sacraments: “For what you see is simply bread and a cup – this is the information your eyes report. But your faith demands far subtler insight: the bread is Christ’s body, the cup is Christ’s blood...So now, if you want to understand the body of Christ...‘You are the body of Christ, member for member.’ If you therefore are Christ’s body and members, it is your own mystery that is placed on the Lord’s table! It is your own mystery that you are receiving!”

Pope Leo XIV added further reflection during his homily: “Dear friends, Christ is God’s answer to our human hunger because his Body is the bread of eternal life: Take this and eat of it all of you!...As Saint Augustine writes...the Eucharist...is a gift-of-self—an intimate communion between Son and God—and us his sisters and brothers.” He referenced teachings from Vatican II about unity among believers through participation in Communion.

Both Cardinal Tobin and Pope Leo XIV called upon Catholics to approach Holy Communion with humility while striving for personal holiness. Cardinal Tobin concluded with a prayer inspired by Saint Augustine: “Lord you know I am not worthy that you should enter my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. Help me act as if I actually deserve the great gift of your Love which you so generously share with me in Holy Eucharist.”