John 6:51-58
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “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. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Living or Life?
St. John's Gospel helps us reflect on the ordinary bread we all need for our survival and living, but more importantly to meditate on the Bread of Life. Ordinary bread is necessary, and we know its ingredients, but the Bread of Life that Jesus speaks about seems to be of another nature, His own flesh.
Those who believe in Him as their Creator and Savior, and accept His teaching, know that they are granted the grace of life beyond the reality of living. Jesus' teaching is very clear about the Bread of Life being His own flesh.
The first celebration of Jesus' Body and Blood took place at the Last Supper in Luke 22:19-20. "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'"
The second was at Emmaus when the two disciples' eyes were opened and recognized the Risen Lord at the breaking of the bread in Luke 24:30-32. "When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'”
The third time appears with St. Paul teaching the Corinthians. It is worthy to consider what Paul writes about Communion, the partaking of Jesus' Body and Blood. Here is the verse that follows the institution of the holy sacrament in I Corinthians 11:26, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."
We are called to reflect upon this substantial item of faith. Let us meditate on todays' Gospel together with the early Christians and with the Centurion at Capernaum. There, Jesus taught about the bread coming down from heaven. Let us join the Centurion in saying with faith and humility, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say a word and my soul shall be healed!" Luke 7:6-7. Or the Prayer of Humble Access to the Lord's table, "We do not presume to come to this your table trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies; we are not worthy so much as to gather the crumbs under your table...,"
This Sunday we are reminded of the need to examine ourselves before receiving the Holy Body and Blood of Jesus according to Paul's first letter to the Corinthians 11:27-29, "So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves."
"I am the bread of life" says the Lord.