Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Rudy Horst SVD – Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – B
One of the many reasons that Christians were persecuted in the first century was that pagans called them ‘cannibals.’ They had heard that these Christians ate flesh and drank blood. It is true, Jesus’ words are shocking: The bread from heaven is His flesh that He wants His followers to eat. While in our society many want to be served and fed, Jesus does the opposite: He gives Himself as nourishment: Eat the bread of life. Eat my flesh. Eat me!
Christ wants to be united with us in a unique way, in the most intimate way possible. There is a saying, “You are what you eat.” Jesus wants to be part of our lives, regardless who we are.
Bread was the staple food in his time and culture. When Jesus speaks about Himself as the Bread of Life we should eat. He wants to become the staple food for our spiritual life. Staple food is not eaten once a year, or once a month or week. It is eaten daily! This makes us aware of the need to receive the Christ in the Eucharist as often as possible.
Of course, this can unfortunately lead to a routine. We are challenged today to be more conscious of the “Real Presence” of Christ when we line up to receive Holy Communion.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the other sacraments as the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all sacraments tend. In this most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore the whole Christ, is truly, really, and substantially contained” (CCC 1374).
Another point is important to consider when we approach the Eucharist. The early Church Fathers taught: while ordinary food is assimilated into man, the very opposite takes place in Holy Communion. Here man is assimilated into the Bread of Life. This profound truth of Christ’s total self-giving can help to overcome the tendency of just “going to Communion” when all others in the church also line up. Be prepared and approach Christ with reverence.
I saw more than once how some send text messages on their cell phones while lining up to receive the Bread of Life. How sad! How can, in such cases, the Holy Spirit transform the person and so become more like Christ?
One comment