JESUS THE LIVING BREAD FROM HEAVEN
First Reading: 1 Kings 19: 4-8
Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 30 to 5:2
Gospel Reading: John 6: 41-51
*First reading is from the first book of Kings. Prophet Elijah was miraculously fed by an angel of the Lord God. Elijah was much depressed and dejected before his journey through the desert. However the Lord provided him food so that he was strengthened before he undertook the journey which lasted forty days and forty nights to reach the mountain at Horeb. This event is a pre-figuration of the Eucharistic meal given to us to strengthen us by the Lord Jesus for our life's tiring journey.
*Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. Paul urges the Christian community at Ephesus to practice charity and love of the neighbour which is the hall mark of all true followers of Christ. He earnestly asks them to get rid of their past evil ways namely: bitterness, anger and slander. Furthermore all are urged to forgive one another.
The bread which I shall give for the world is my flesh Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. After the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, Jesus instructs His disciples. Jesus teaches them and us about the imperishable food and eternal life. He tells them that He is indeed the bread which has come down from heaven. He/she who eats this bread-(Himself) will have eternal life. The Jewish followers who listened to these words of Jesus were disturbed and they murmured against Him. They rejected the life-giving words of Jesus. They were like those Israelites who murmured against the Lord God in the wilderness-(during their journey from Egypt). The bread of life for us today is the Body of Christ offered on the the cross as a sacrifice so that we might have eternal life. Not only the Jews of that time took offense at this teaching of Jesus regarding the Eucharist but even today many Christian denominations refuse to accept the words of Jesus and refuse to believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic bread. Let us be reminded of the life-giving words of Jesus in this context. "If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever and the bread which I shall give for the world is my flesh." John 6:51 Let us ever be thankful to the Lord Jesus for this wonderful gift of life-giving bread for us.
"From the Eucharist comes strength to live the Christian life and zeal to share that life with others." - St. Pope John Paul II
"The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life." - St. Thomas Aquinas
" The greatest love story of all times is contained in a tiny white Host."- Archbishop Fulton J Sheen
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