Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
  whoever eats this bread will live forever;
  and the bread that I will give
  is my flesh for the life of the world.”

  The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
  “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
  Jesus said to them,
  “Amen, amen, I say to you,
  unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
  you do not have life within you.
  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
  has eternal life,
  and I will raise him on the last day.
  For my flesh is true food,
  and my blood is true drink.
  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
  remains in me and I in him.
  Just as the living Father sent me
  and I have life because of the Father,
  so also the one who feeds on me
  will have life because of me.
  This is the bread that came down from heaven.
  Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
  whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

John 6:51-58

The Solemnity Of The Most Holy Body And Blood Of Christ: Reflection

Today’s Gospel is part of what is referred to as the Bread of Life Discourse. Jesus spoke that discourse the day after He multiplied the loaves and fish to feed the 5000. Those people traveled to Capernaum, looking for Jesus. He said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” Jesus then gives them, and us, the proper perspective: ^“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (JN 6:26-27) The people then ask for a sign, pointing to the fact that Moses gave their fathers manna to eat in the desert. Jesus responds: “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (JN 6:32-33)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the crowd that He is the living bread come down from heaven, “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” We then hear that “The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’”

If I were in that crowd, I believe I would have asked the same question. If I were against Jesus, I would have thought that He is out of his mind; He is a lunatic! If I were a follower of Jesus, I probably would have thought He was speaking figuratively, as in many of His parables. Now I just have to figure out what He means. Even today, many Christians believe that Jesus was speaking figuratively!

What is the case for believing that Jesus was speaking literally? First, because he did not back down when the people began to murmur. In today’s passage, Jesus says 4 times that we must eat his flesh. And he says that: “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.”

Second, in the verses following today’s reading, we hear that: “From this time on, many of his disciples broke away and would not remain in his company any longer.” There are other instances where the people did not understand what Jesus was saying, afterwards He explained the meaning to the disciples. In this case, Jesus does not do that. Instead, Jesus asked the disciples: “Do you want to leave me too?” The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus meant either, but Peter responded: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe; we are convinced that you are God’s holy one.”

At the Last Supper, Jesus answers the question of how He can give us his flesh to eat. “While they were eating, Jesus took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (MT 26:26-28)

Jesus gave up His life in this world so that we may have eternal life with him after our death. Jesus’ walk in this world was not easy, and He knew our walk in this world would not be easy, so He gave us: “The food that endures for eternal life.” Jesus gives us that food – His body and blood – through the Eucharist!

Thank you, Father, for sending us your Son, Jesus, to save us from our sin! Thank you, Jesus, for giving us the food that endures for eternal life – your body and blood in the Eucharist. Amen!

Books On The Eucharist:

Christ, Science, and Reason: What We Can Know about Jesus, Mary, and Miracles by Fr. Spitzer

Cardiologist Examines Jesus: The Stunning Science Behind Eucharistic Miracles

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory 

Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids (Catholic Stories for Kids)

The 7 Secrets of the Eucharist

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper

The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth

The Divine Encounter: Meeting Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration

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