3rd Week of Easter 2019 - Friday - Eat his Flesh. Drink his Blood.

Our Gospels this week have been from the series of passages from John Chapter 6. And today we hear of Jesus giving what is perhaps the hardest part of the teaching on the Eucharist: that the bread of life is his flesh and his blood.

St. Thomas Aquinas maintained that believing that the Eucharist is Jesus’ flesh and blood is a challenging act of faith.  Thomas writes, “The presence of Christ’s true flesh and blood in this sacrament cannot be detected by sense, nor understanding, but by faith alone which rests upon Divine authority”.  The Eucharist does not look like Christ; thus it tests not our sight, but our faith. 

But we trust that the Eucharist is Jesus’ true flesh and blood, because He Himself has told us so, and there is no truer Word than His.  St. Thomas expresses this sentiment in his short poem Adoro te Devote, where he writes: “Sight, taste, and touch in Thee are deceived; the ear alone most safely is believed: I believe all the Son of God has spoken: Than Truth’s own word there is no truer token.” 

This shocking statement started a quarrel amongst the disciples; and as a result of their inability to accept this teaching, some of those who had begun to follow Jesus, turned away from him and went back to their former way of life.  Nevertheless, Jesus did not recant or even modify His terminology. He was willing to lose even the twelve apostles rather than change or water down his teaching. I think many walked away from this teaching, because they sensed the cross, they sensed the demands, the suffering, that following this man would entail. That if he is willing to give his flesh and blood for God, he might demand that his followers also give their flesh and blood for God.

The Eucharist is the source of our highest calling, to unite our own flesh and blood with our Savior, and also the source of strength to be faithful to that calling. May we know that strength, that we may be faithful to Him in all things for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Church will deepen in her devotion to the Eucharistic sacrifice which is the source and summit of our Christian life.  We pray to the Lord.

That the redemptive power of Christ’s Eucharistic sacrifice will extend to the hearts and minds of all those who govern peoples and nations.  We pray to the Lord.

That the Eucharist will be for priests the source of their joy and their deeper configuration to Jesus Christ.  We pray to the Lord.

That the Christ’s Eucharistic Self-Sacrifice will be experienced in all marriages, in all business relations, in all daily encounters, among friends, strangers, and enemies.  We pray to the Lord.
For those who live in want: that Jesus the Bread of Life will be their sustenance, and that Christians may bring the justice and mercy of Christ to all those in need.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.