Today’s Gospel continues the discourse on the “bread of heaven,” from last week. It begins with a outrageous statement: the bread to eat is “his own flesh.” The reaction of those present is understandable and justified. They discuss among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” They understand that he no longer refers only to the spiritual assimilation of God’s revelation, but also to a “concrete eating,” not metaphorical. He then adds, they have to drink his blood too.
The Jews believed that the vital force resides in the blood and would not permit it to be consumed even of the slaughtered animals. But, Jesus refers to the sealing of a new covenant with his blood which in the old covenant was done with the blood of the animals (Ex 24:6-8). With this gesture, the communion of life between God and Israel was established and their mutual belongingness sealed. It was as if between God and the people relations of consanguinity were established.
It is this mindset that Jesus puts his speech on the need of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, to enter into communion of life with him and with the Father. He further explains, “The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life” (v. 54). This is an invitation to share in the Eucahrist and establish a familiy relationship with God.
The Eucharist has no effect if it is not received with faith, that is, if it is not an expression of the inner decision to accept Christ and to allow him to animate the entire life. Before receiving the Eucharistic bread it is always necessary to read and meditate on a passage of the Word of God. Those who agree to become one person with Christ in the sacrament must first know his proposal for life. A contract is not stipulated without having attentively read and evaluated all the terms.
Immediately after Easter, the disciples and early Christians felt the need to celebrate the founding event of their faith, the death, and resurrection of Christ. They did not have to invent a ritual to reproduce the event because Jesus himself had set it up. Prior to his passion, while he sat at table with his disciples, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
It is a feature of the rite to be repetitive, to follow a fixed pattern, much like we wish good morning or good evening. The rituals are repetitive, but not useless because they create what they mean.
The early Christians had only one Eucharistic celebration per week. Today we can attend mass every day. If repeated with faith, this sacrament which means union with the Lord of life makes this union more solid and deeper.
Father Fernando Armellini SCJ
www.ciudadredonda.org
Translated by
Father John Ledesma SDB
Abridged by Fr. Jijo Kandamkulathy CMF
