Gospel: John 6:51-58
“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 argued among themselves and said, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you: unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the Father, who is alive, sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; not like the bread your ancestors ate and died. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
Fruit: To value the gift of the Eucharist, a mystery through which Christ accompanies us intimately and closely.
Guidelines for reflection:
Today’s Gospel contains a teaching that is difficult for any man or woman of any time to understand: Jesus announces that he is given to us as food, clearly alluding to the mystery of the Eucharist, the great gift of God.
1. The bread of life
In Sacred Scripture, and throughout all cultural tradition, the symbolism of bread is very clear: it represents the basic nourishment that every person needs to live. It is a more concrete way of saying “food,” using the most common image across all cultures. Christ uses this image applying it to human life, beyond mere biological sustenance. Just as every person needs to eat, to nourish themselves, so that their body develops normally, likewise every person needs Christ to grow and live as a human being—one who loves and is loved, who knows and is known, who interacts with everything around him. Jesus Christ, as Pope John Paul II frequently reminds us, is the perfect Man, the one who fully reveals man to himself, leading him to his fullness (Gaudium et Spes 22).
2. The best company
Jesus is not only food; he is also our best companion. Shared joy is greater joy, and shared sorrow is more bearable. That is why the Lord left us a way to accompany us more intimately than his presence as Creator of the world. The Catechism reminds us that God is everywhere; but his delicate love led him to stay close to us in a special way: in the Eucharist. This presence, this companionship, is so intimate that it allows us to have him within our hearts. He is no longer just a caring God who is near his creature; not even just a good friend who stands by us. He is someone who enters our soul, who accompanies us from the innermost part of our heart, from the depths of our soul.
3. If you do not eat my flesh…
We know that we need to eat to live, that we cannot go even a single day without drinking; we are aware of our limitations and weaknesses. But in the spiritual realm, in our relationship with God, we are too forgetful. We forget that without the nourishment of the sacraments, without feeding on Sacred Scripture, the soul weakens, loses strength, and becomes invaded by spiritual anemia. Jesus, knowing our weakness, explicitly reminds us: If you do not eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will have no life in you. If we neglect the sacraments, if we believe ourselves so strong that we pretend to be saints by our own strength alone, we will fail. Let us be humble, simple, and approach to receive the nourishment of the Eucharist, this marvelous gift that God has given us to accompany us on our pilgrimage through this life, on the way to heaven.
Purpose: I will participate attentively in the Eucharist, living with special attention the moment of communion.
