August 9, 2009: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

When taking Communion, remember, you are receiving Jesus.

Jesus said to the Jews, “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 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 is for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51)

Many Christians, including Catholics, believe that when they take Communion they are truly receiving Jesus into themselves. This belief is based on the above Scripture passage and others like it. We believe it because Jesus told us. We are truly receiving him. We said last week, our bodies need food. We also know our bodies will die. But we believe we will live forever. We believe this because Jesus told us this is true. We cannot explain how this can happen. It is a mystery. It cannot be proven, scientifically. That’s why we speak of such things as belief or faith.

Action:

When taking Communion, remember, you are receiving Jesus. What does it mean for you to have Jesus within you? How does a person having Jesus within take him to others? How does one speak and act?