St. Mary's Church Elizabeth, IL

7/27

Read John, Chapter 6, Verses 49 To 71

"I am the living bread that came down form heaven."

                                                                                             John 6:51

Going inside the mystery                                            

At Mass, we often use the following memorial acclamation: "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." We proclaim the "centrality" and the significance- for today and for the future- of the death and resurrection of Jesus. John certainly agrees on such "centrality." He also envisions the death and resurrection of Jesus as the "hour" for him "to depart from this world and go to the Father" (John 13:1) and as the accomplishment of his love for "his own" (John 13:1). But John reminds us that the Eucharist is a memorial not only of Jesus' last days, however important and significant, but of his whole life: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven" (John 6:51). This applies to everything Jesus had done and said from the very beginning of his "dwelling among us."

One should not forget that John writes for Christians at the end of the first century, that is, for second and perhaps third generations of Christians. Since the Eucharist had become more of a common practice among Christians, John felt the need to have Christians refocusing on its true meaning. The Eucharist is indeed the memorial of Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection. But, says John, the Eucharist is the memorial of the Incarnation, of all of Jesus' life and teaching. To celebrate the Eucharist is to relive the whole mystery of the Incarnation: "for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink" (John 6:55). This teaching might seem difficult to accept (John 6:60), but with it Christian faith stands or falls.

→ How is my Sunday Eucharist leading me to remember and live Jesus' life, death and resurrection?

Prayer Starter: Lord, you are the bread of life, true food for our de

Fr. Joachim