The Bread that gives Life Eternal!

We hear in today's Gospel account from St. John about Jesus discoursing with the Jews about him being the "Bread of Life." Indeed, it is quite disturbing, devastating even, to think about this person, this carpenter's son as the "bread" on which humankind must feed on! Total Absurdity! But Jesus said "No!" He continues "I Am the bread of life! Your forefathers ate manna in the desert yet they died nonetheless. But he who feeds on this "bread" will live forever, for the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world!"

Total absurdity! But if we think upon Jesus' words more seriously, we find that Jesus was not absurd at all. Jesus seems to pose an invitation to all his listeners, and to us as well who are His followers in the modern era. A simple invitation of gratitude and sharing. "As the Father sent me to you for you to have life, then feed on me, so that you may be "life" for others! As you have partaken of this "Bread of Life," I am making you "breads of life" as well!

This week, the Lord is once again inviting us to reflect in a deeper way the significance of the Holy Eucharist in our lives as Christians. We partake of the Lord's Body and Blood weekly (daily even for some of us!). But does our partaking of the one Bread and the one Cup make us more "Eucharistic?" Does the celebration of the Eucharist effect a change in our dispositions, in our ways of relating, in our ways of loving?

We pray then that our partaking of Jesus' Body and Blood broken, poured out, and shared in the Eucharist may make us more "Eucharistic" -- more sensitive to the people around us. Amen.