TEXT: The Holy Gospel According to St. John 6:51-58

When I was an ordained evangelical Protestant pastor several years ago (before converting to the Roman Catholic Church), I would with other pastors of our traditions, simply (in ignorance) overlook the meaning of the passage that we read today.  This is not unusual, because in the various Protestant traditions, there is an emphasis on spiritual explanations (memorialization, or, consubstantiation).  The idea of the Real Presence (Transubstantiation) was a hard dogma to accept for rational minds.

However, today, (Gratia deo), when I look at this passage now with my "Catholic eyes," I see the truth of the Real Presence of Christ so clearly that I wonder how I missed it for so many years and how it was that I satisfied myself to merely gloss over this portion of Holy Scripture so clearly Catholic.

No less a man of God that St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century) said in his Catechetical Discourses 19:7,  "The bread and wine of the Eucharist before the invocation of the holy adorable Trinity were simple bread and wine, while after the invocation the bread becomes the Body of Christ, and the wine the Blood of Christ."

Such clear teaching all the way back to the 4th century by so many so early in Church history amazes me as I think how the enemy of our souls has blinded so many to this marvelous truth for so long, a truth that was taught so early, and, sadly discarded by so many when the 16th century brought to us the great and tragic schism that now, even after Vatican II,  is so difficult to reconcile.

Here is the priceless word of Jesus on the subject of his Body and Blood, as he speaks of his great gift in the Eucharist, his Body and Blood.  It is Jesus who provides for us the clearest word for us to understand the Gift we have in the Very Presence of Jesus in the Bread and the Wine, the Body and the Blood.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."

The emphasis here is clear -- Jesus says -- "ego eimi."  This means -- "I myself am" the bread of life.

{NOTE for study--  Let me give the whole verse and translate here so that you might have the full impact of the obvious truth -- "Ego eimi ho artos ho zon ho ek tou ouranou katabas ean tis phagh ek toutou tou artou zhsetai eis ton aiona. Kai ho artos de hon ego doso he sarx mou estin en ego doso huper tes tou kosmou zoen"  meaning, my literal translation -- "I Myself am (being, essence) the bread (namely) the life which out of the heaven came down; if anyone shall have eaten of this bread he shall live for ever; and the bread also which I Myself will give My Flesh it is (being, essence), which I Myself will give for the life of the world (mankind)."}

It cannot get much clearer than that, beloved.  Jesus gives us his Body and Blood in Holy Communion!  As far as I am concerned, that settles the issue.  Thank God the Church kept teaching this truth!

The implication of this Gift are wonderful.

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

The first objections came from the Jewish community.

We are so proud, thinking that we can just slide into heaven on our own terms.  We sadly think that we are not such bad folks, and, God will just herd us all into heaven into the Presence of the Holy Trinity, because he is nice.

It is not that easy.

Our salvation was very costly.

It cost the Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.  The blessed memory that we have as the Church teaches us for our salvation is the -- passionis, mortis et resurrectionis Jesu Christi.

The Roman Missal, 6th - 8th century says -- "O God, Who for us hast willed Thy Son to undergo the ignominy f the Cross, that Thou mightest drive away from us the power of the enemy; grant to us Thy servants to attain the grace of resurrection."  (Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week)

If Immanuel gives us his Flesh and Blood to eat, then, it is given!  The questions of doubt are to be laid aside, because the Church teaches this and it is true, no matter who stands by the wayside carping the opposite.  Trust the Church -- She tells us the truth on this!

So does Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life!  (cf. John 14:6)

53 So 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;
54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

Truly truly, means -- it is a specially made point that Jesus wants us to see clearly.  The words speak for themselves.  This meal we have is connected directly to the life Jesus gives as the Way, the Truth and the Life!  It connects us as a Body, the Church, to the blessed hope we have of the resurrection of God’s people.  It is the sign of our remaining, our abiding, in Christ, like we will be seen in John 15 as those who abide in the Vine as the branches connected to Jesus.  I need not remind us here that grapes produce wine, and, that the Vine sustains the branches that produce the grapes.  The illustration is obvious.  God meant for us to understand the intimacy we are to have with Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Mary.

The Father sent Jesus through Mary.

57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.

Amen, beloved.

58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever."

The reference here is to the manna in the wilderness that was eaten after the Exodus from Egypt when the people were hungry and God gave them "manna" (meaning, "what is it?" In Hebrew).  Moreover, a greater than Moses was speaking, Jesus.

Now, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem, (meaning, "House of Bread" in Hebrew).  There Mary and Joseph laid Jesus in a manger, where wheat and grain which make up bread are placed for the animals to eat.

I never cease to be amazed at the clarity of God when it comes to the bread we make and prepare for consecration as Bread of Life we have in Jesus that becomes the Body of Christ here with us that we might eat and live, as we partake of him; and, the Vine he is with us and the branches that produce the grapes that make the wine that becomes the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Can we describe such intimacy without weeping?  Shall we not at the very least stand in awe of this mystery God has revealed to us through Mother Church?

May God be praised.

May God grant that we live in Christ accordingly in closest communion with Christ and the saints.



Deus et Sanctissima.