Feast of Corpus Christi   Gospel A

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." 

· In talking to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus in Jn 4 said he would give her living water and again in Jn 7:37 Jesus invited all those who thirst to come to him and he would give them living water. What is this living water? The gift of the Spirit. Now, he says he is the living bread. 

· What does “living water” do and what does “living bread” do? What is the connection between our physical needs and our spiritual needs?

· He says that he is the living bread that came down from heaven. What would this remind the Jews of? The Manna in the desert; God’s providence.  What is the connection between God providing for his people in the desert and God providing for us today?

·    We eat in order to sustain physical life. Jesus feeds us with his Body and Blood to sustain our life with God, not just for the moment but for eternity.

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" 

· On first take they thought he was talking about cannibalism.  Because of their dietary laws, the Jews would only eat clean “flesh” not anything considered to be unclean according to the Law.  And definitely no faithful Jew would think of eating human flesh.

·    The fact that they quarreled among themselves indicates that some accepted this saying and others did not.

Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 

· Anytime Jesus uses the phrase “Amen, amen,” he is making a statement that is absolutely true.

· Do we approach the Eucharist with this understanding?

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 

· Notice Jesus doesn’t try to explain what he means. If we believe in him, we will believe in his words, no matter if we don’t understand. Faith is primarily an assent to a person.

· How conscious are we of the union and intimacy between Jesus and ourselves, when we receive him in Communion?

·    He makes himself very clear by saying “my flesh is true food….blood…true drink.” It is not a symbol but the real body and blood of Jesus.

Just as the living Father sent me, and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 

· The great difference between the manna and the Body and Blood of Jesus is that the former fed only the body for a short period; while the later brings spiritual nourishment at the deepest level.

· What is our understanding of Eucharist? What is our experience of Eucharist?

· The primary focus of the Eucharist is the reception for spiritual nourishment. The secondary focus is adoration. Sometimes people reverse the intention of Jesus.