ANYONE WHO EATS THIS BREAD WILL LIVE FOREVER
Jesus continues reminding us in the Church, to recognise His presence in the Eucharist. He explains that He is the Bread of Life that came down from heaven (Jn 6:41-51). He said that anyone who eats this Bread has eternal life and will live forever, and that the Bread that He will give is His Flesh. Catholics who reject it will die with no possibility of living in heaven someday. We must begin to realise that eternal life begins here and now on earth by taking spiritual direction from Jesus. Naturally the Jews were shocked listening to Jesus talk about eating His Body, because it seemed like a primitive recipe for cannibalism. However, the real reason for doubting, as is the same reason in today’s world, is lack of faith and trust in Him. Jesus is not visible anymore in human form, but instead, visible in sacramental form. ‘Give us this day our daily Bread’ is inviting Jesus into our lives every day. Jesus is alive and present in the guise of sacramental Bread. We are to see Him clothed in a Eucharistic Flesh which contains His Sacred Heart. This is the New Risen Body of Christ, which He instituted at the last Supper, when He said; This is My Body.
LIKE A MOTHER FEEDING HER CHILD. In helping to understand why Jesus feeds us with His Body, we look at a mother feeding her baby in the womb. The child draws his/her life from the body and blood of the mother when fed through the umbilical cord. This happens in order for the baby to live. After giving birth, the mother continues to feed the child from her own body. The child will grow up in the likeness of the parents. In a similar kind of way, Jesus feeds us with His Body in order for us to grow into His likeness. In the first reading (1 Kings 19:4-8), the Lord marked out a life journey for Elijah but he would never have completed it without food provided by God. We Catholics will not make the journey to heaven without eating the Bread of Life. We are presently living in the womb of Mother Church and fed by Her. After we take our last earthly breath, she gives new birth, giving us new life. Those souls who repented and allowed the Church to feed them will have access to Eternal Life. But for those souls who rejected Her, they sadly excommunicate themselves from inheriting eternal life and die. Like a child hidden in the womb, so is Jesus hidden in the Living Bread. As baptised Christians, we are members of His one Body. We are to live as one family in Holy Communion with each other. St Paul (Eph 4:30-5:2) reminds us today to never hold grudges or lose our temper, or raise our voice to anybody but be friends and forgive as God forgives us in the sacrament of confession. Praise bless, Fr. Brendan.