June 14, 2020: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

Reading: John 6:51-58

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.”

Reflection:

If I were in the crowd listening to Jesus, I’m sure I would have reacted in the same way, asking Jesus, “How” do you intend to do this? Jesus’s response goes on for six sentences, but he never tells them how. Would I have been a bit frustrated? We today know how this happens and we attend Mass with the expectation of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in bread and wine.

Action:

Since we now know the “how” of this great mystery, spend time reflecting on those six sentences which tell us the “why” we eat his flesh and drink his blood — to have life; to remain in him, as he remains in us; to feed on him so we will have life and be a source of life to others; to live forever.